On tasting: Native Grain Project, Native Grain ‘Whiskey’ (Wattleseed BQ-001), Native Grain Whiskey (Weeping Grass ADP7)
Sacha La Forgia’s native grain whiskies have certainly got a number of industry folks talking (and arguing). For me, that’s one of the brilliant results of this project – it gets people thinking about how whisky can, and should, be made (for the full picture, check out our detailed examination of the story here).
They also get us thinking about where whisky comes from. That this is an agricultural product that’s grown and harvested by people, and that the decisions made by producers and consumers have broader ramifications.
Yes, the price and scarcity of these whiskies is frustrating. But with the cost and availability of native ingredients fetching hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars per kilo, it’s an unavoidable reality.
Are we looking at a new style of Australian whisky? La Forgia tells us he’s laid down two dozen barrels with different native cereal grasses (wattleseed is now off the cards, which is a shame, cause it tastes bloody fantastic, as you’ll see below). I’ll be fascinated to see how these future releases are received, and if other distillers experiment with native cereal grasses.
If you do come across them, give them a try. The flavours are utterly unique but oddly familiar, particularly if you’ve tasted Australian nuts, herbs and spices before.
La Forgia will also be releasing a regular malt whisky in the next 12 months (you heard it here first), so keep an eye on this crazy distillery up in the hills.
