Whisky review: Australian wine cask ryes and malts

Luke McCarthy -
Whisky Reviews
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On tasting: Backwoods Distilling Co. Rye Whisky (Batch 2), The Gospel Projects Tawny Cask, Backwoods Single Malt Batch #2 Single Cask, 5Nines Single Cask Pinot, Spirit Thief Shene French Oak Grenache, Spirit Thief Belgrove Peated Cab Sav Finish

I doubt there’s another whisky-making country in the world exploring wine casks like Australia is at the moment. There’s a confidence and brashness emerging with these whiskies, and we’re just getting started.

In the line-up below, we’re already seeing different approaches. Whether or not these wine casks are toasted, charred or filled with spirit ‘wet’ (fresh from the winery), full-term maturation versus finished, you can definitely taste the choices distillers are making.

Under the direction of Brett Steel, Spirit Thief are also exploring how specific wine varietals flavour these whiskies. They’re at the beginning of a project that will give Australian distillers all sorts of insights into what works, what doesn’t, and what best practice might look like.

I’m super excited by the whole movement, and a little apprehensive at the same time. The style isn’t to everyone’s liking, and personally, these aren’t the first whiskies I reach for when I have the choice. Some in the cognoscenti are dead set against heavily wine-influenced whiskies, arguing whisky should be spirit-led: the oak is there as an accompaniment, it shouldn’t be the defining factor.

Others, like Starward’s founder Dave Vitale, argue that high-quality wine casks lend Australian whisky an identity of its own in what is a very crowded and competitive marketplace. Fresh, fruit-forward – flavours everyone can taste and recognise. It’s persuasive stuff. And it’s working.

  • Backwoods Distilling Co. Rye Whisky (Batch 2)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 45%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Rye whisky
    • Production Story: Second release of Backwoods Distilling Co's rye whisky. Mash is 60% heritage rye, 25% pale malt, 10% wheat and 5% chocolate malt, and this release was matured in two 100 litre American oak casks that previously held Australian cabernet and shiraz. 470 bottles in total.
    • Location: Yackandandah, VIC
    • Score: 88
    Nose
    So distinctive and grain-forward. Love how the malts just balance that heritage rye, with its earthy, caraway, menthol, almost dill mayonnaise vibe.
    Palate
    It's rich, then it gets savoury. Spice and vanilla, and hints of the wine again, but no overt tannin - like it.
    Finish
    Bit more together than the first batch here.
    Comments
    I really wanted to go another round with this, and again, it's bang on, and even better integrated than the first batch. It's been fascinating to see people favour the malt over the rye (I'm on the rye train, but I hate comparing them because they're very different). I think this is brilliant.
  • The Gospel Projects Tawny Cask
    The Stats
    • ABV: 48%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Rye whisky
    • Production Story: First project release from The Gospel Distillers. 100% rye that was initially matured in virgin American oak barrels, and then finished for four months in a wet-filled Dutschke Wines tawny cask. 558 bottles in total.
    • Location: Melbourne, VIC
    • Score: 88
    Nose
    Rich, sweet and spicy. Caramel, mint and rye biscuits. The tawny pokes through, but it's not overpowering, and adds a sweet, musty, red grape note.
    Palate
    Classic Gospel spice and citrus. But the tawny has added demerara, brown sugar and sweet vermouth - sort of a ready-made Manhattan. Makes its presence felt on the mid-to-back palate; gets creamy and thick with some tannin and grip.
    Finish
    Spice and old fruitcake, and a little dry.
    Comments
    Amazing what only four months in a tawny cask has done to this. Must've been a fresh cask - I think this was pulled out right on time. It's bloody tasty, but I'm a bit unsure about it. Does the addition of the tawny add or detract from what is already great drinking juice? Hmm. Should really appeal to Aussie malt whisky fans.
  • Backwoods Distilling Co. Single Malt Batch 2 Single Cask Release
    The Stats
    • ABV: 55%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Second release of Backwoods Distilling Co's single malt whisky. Mash of three malt varieties: 50% Atlas pale malt, 40% Veloria schooner malt, and 10% Voodoo schooner malt. This release was matured in a single cask which previously held Barossa red wines. The cask was filled with spirit at 63.5% and then diluted to 55% six months prior to bottling. 100 bottles made available at 55%, 120 at 45%.
    • Location: Yackandandah, VIC
    • Score: 83
    Nose
    A little sharp and closed upfront. Red wine tannins, burnt caramel and the malt is there, but the wine and the cask are having more of a say.
    Palate
    Much better here. Sugary and rich. Big raspberries, toffee and currants across the mid-palate, and the malt profile establishes itself.
    Finish
    Great length, a little grapey, nice dark chocolate flourish.
    Comments
    This needs time to open up, really improves with some air. Palate shows great flavours, but I can understand the dilution, because these Barossa casks are bloody powerful. Less of them I think.
  • 5Nines Single Malt Whisky Single Cask Pinot
    The Stats
    • ABV: 49.4%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at 5Nines Distilling from a mash of South Australian pilsner malt. This single cask bottling was matured in a 100 litre ex-pinot noir cask for two years and nine months. 143 bottles in total.
    • Location: Adelaide, SA
    • Score: 84
    Nose
    Treacle and marzipan. Plums, raisins, sticky date pudding and a whiff of smoke. Lovely malt character, drives along with the sweetness and fruitiness of the wine.
    Palate
    Sticky and rich. All the caramel sweetness from the nose here, too. The wine influence gets a little dry and grippy as it moves along, but there's plenty of malt and weight to carry it.
    Finish
    Getting winey.
    Comments
    Yep, I'm in. Clearly a lovely cask, and it's added all the right juicy goodness - certainly doesn't need any more of it. Great choice of bottling strength, too.
  • Spirit Thief Distilling Co. Shene Distillery French Oak Grenache
    The Stats
    • ABV: 55%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Shene Distillery and matured by Spirit Thief in 20 litre French oak grenache casks from Main and Cherry winery for just over two years. 250 bottles in total. This bottling will be available in December.
    • Location: Pontville, TAS
    • Score: 85
    Nose
    Big, spicy French oak tannins - casks smell elite here. Then brioche, blackcurrants and tobacco, ruby port, figs and roses.
    Palate
    Sweeter than you expect. Juicy and winey, marachino and some heat and youth as it moves along. The fruit in the spirit really comes together with the wine.
    Finish
    Long, jammy fruits and a hint of spirit.
    Comments
    Seriously complex juice. Quality casks complementing quality spirit. This is going to be tops with a bit more time.
  • Spirit Thief Distilling Co. Belgrove Peated Cabernet Sauvignon French Oak Cask Finish
    The Stats
    • ABV: 48.3%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Belgrove Distillery where the grist ('powder' the malt is milled into) was heavily smoked with Tasmanian coastal peat. Matured by Spirit Thief in ex-whisky casks for 18 months and finished in 20 litre re-charred cabernet sauvignon French oak casks for a further 10 months. 290 bottles in total.
    • Location: Kempton, TAS
    • Score: 77
    Nose
    Bloody Nora. Ash. So much ash. Burnt chicken, sea salt, moss and charred pineapple. Peanuts and then a sweet citrus, sort of cotton candy.
    Palate
    So. Bizarre. Goes off on about four different tangents. Smoky and oddly sweet, balsamic, milk lollies, Wizz Fizz and white sugar. The peat doesn't hold on the palate - it's all nose.
    Finish
    Make it stop.
    Comments
    Hey, it's fun. But completely wacky. I can follow it on the nose, and some of the flavours there are fascinating. But it's all wrong on the palate, loses structure, and morphs into something very weird and cloying. Awesome experiment though, thumbs up, and I'd recommend trying it if you get a chance. Whether or not you'll finish it...
How We Score
Luke McCarthy
Luke McCarthy is the editor and publisher of Oz Whisky Review. An independent writer, author and drinks columnist, Luke's written about whisky and spirits for numerous Australian and international publications and is a judge at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards. His book, The Australian Spirits Guide, the first to tackle the history and resurgence of the Australian spirits industry, was published in 2016 by Hardie Grant Books.