Barossa Distilling Co launch Gallus Single Malt Whisky

Luke McCarthy -
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South Australians have a new single malt whisky to celebrate with the release of Barossa Distilling Co’s Gallus Single Malt Whisky.

Barossa Distilling is owned by Neil Bullock, and since its founding in 2016 Bullock and his team have created a range of award-winning gins.

But whisky was always on the cards for the UK-born Bullock, who developed a love for the spirit during university days spent in Glasgow. Bullock’s first single malt has been six years in the making, and the name ‘Gallus’, a colloquial term for a bold act common in Glasgow and the west of Scotland, hints at the daring needed to release a whisky from the heartland of Australian wine country.

The distillery sits adjacent Barossa Distilling’s cellar door tasting room and cocktail bar, which is housed in the Old Penfolds Distillery in Nuriootpa – a space that has to be seen to be believed (highly recommend a visit). Massive old Penfolds pot stills tower over the room where a bar is set to one side so you can sit and sample the distillery’s range of spirits.

 

Distillery Door Tasting Room & Cocktail Bar – Barossa Distilling Co

First distilled in January 2017, Gallus was initially matured in ex-Bourbon and tawny casks before being finished in a Saury French oak Muscat cask from a local Barossa winery for a further 12 months.

The first preview sample I tried while visiting the distillery a few months back was a pleasant surprise: rich, chewy and buttery, with burnt sugar and molasses thanks to the Muscat and tawny cask influence. But that influence was far from overdone. By blending casks and allowing the less wood-forward ex-Bourbon components to balance the whole, Bullock has patiently refined this whisky over six years. The extra time shows.

You’ve got everything you need to make high-quality whisky in the Barossa, and with a serious heritage of spirits production in the area stretching back over 100 years, expect to see more quality whiskies like this hailing from the famed wine region in future.

The initial release for Gallus runs to 1000 bottles and is available at Barossa Distilling Co’s website for $298.

  • Barossa Distilling Co Gallus Single Malt Whisky (First Release)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 48%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled by Barossa Distilling Co from pilsner malt in a 900 litre copper pot still in January 2017. Initially matured in 100 litre re-charred ex-Bourbon and tawny casks and then finished for 12 months in a Saury French oak muscat cask sourced from a local Barossa winery. Released October 2023. 1000 bottles in total
    • Location: Nuriootpa, SA
    • Score: 87
    Nose
    Brandied cherries, toffee and cinnamon. A pleasant cereal malt note sits underneath that, and while it's certainly cask forward, there’s some top notch casks at play here.
    Palate
    Chewy, with good malt structure and texture. Anise, molasses, dark chocolate, leather and tobacco as it progresses. Honey and fruit as well - burnt orange and cherries - to prevent this from becoming too wood-laden.
    Finish
    Slightly drying on the follow through, with tobacco and treacle carrying. Love the bottling strength.
    Comments
    One of the more polished first release Australian single malts I've come across in recent times. Being located in the heart of the Barossa, you’d expect wine casks to play a role here. But this has been patiently constructed to ensure the spirit isn't dominated by those casks, and that extended maturation has allowed this to breathe and find a real sweet spot. A pricey first offering, as is standard for first releases these days, but I'm looking forward to seeing what's next from Bullock and his team.
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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.