Review: First release South Australian single malts

Julian White -
Whisky Reviews
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On tasting: Adelaide Distillery Co. Single Malt Whisky First Release, 36 Short Single Malt Whisky First Release, Cut Hill Distillery Fortified Cask Australian Malt Whisky, Cut Hill Distillery Wine Cask and Cut Hill Distillery Mead Cask

It can take time to find your niche in the spirits industry. Some distillers initially produce a range of different spirits before settling on the one or two they’re most passionate about. Others continue to experiment with new products as trends change and ideas evolve.

In the past, ‘Single Malt’, with its half a century worth of influence and imbedded understanding, might’ve scared some distillers off. But today, undaunted Australian producers continue to bring their own interpretation to the style.

In the case of 36 Short and Adelaide Distillery Co., whose first single malts are reviewed below, family heritage is key to the spirits they produce.

36 Short founders, Jon and Con Lioulios, were inspired by their Macedonian father’s dream to make rakia, and whisky is the latest step in their distilling journey.

Adelaide Distillery Co.’s Nick Ikonomos and Peter Kozno started out the other way around by making whisky. But owing to their Greek family heritage, they started experimenting with Ouzo, and Greece’s national spirit is now their successful flagship offering.

Cut Hill is a slightly different story. The Cut Hill brand has been created by a crack team of industry pros, which includes the highly experienced head distiller Hugh Holds, formerly of Starward and the 23rd Street distilleries.

The Cut Hill site in Hindmarsh Valley is the reinvention of the Rochfort Distillery established by John Rochfort in 2018. The fallout from the liquidation of Rochfort’s operation is still before the courts, but the new Cut Hill team are forging ahead with a fresh, transparent approach which is great to see.

All of this speaks to the growth and development of the whisky industry in South Australia. Who knows how many new whiskies we’ll see from SA this year. Might be time for a road trip.

 

  • Adelaide Distillery Co. Single Malt Whisky First Release
    The Stats
    • ABV: 43%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Adelaide Distillery Co. from a mash of South Australian pale malt following a two week fermentation. Matured in a 100 litre new French oak barrel for four years. Released November 2021. 150 bottles in total.
    • Location: Adelaide, SA
    • Score: 87
    Nose
    Red berries, liqueur cherries and citrus marmalade. There’s a hint of charry timber and cinnamon character which builds on those ripe fruits.
    Palate
    What a great way to break into the whisky world! The fruit flavours achieved here through fermentation and the new oak treatment are pretty astounding (two week ferment will do that). There’s good body in the spirit to carry the oak influence, which comes on like sponge cake, cherry starburst and amaretti biscuits.
    Finish
    Being a virgin French oak cask this leans to the oaky side of the equation, but the cask has been very well prepared. The fruits don’t quite carry through all the way but there's some beautifully rounded vanillas, biscuity oak and barrel char.
    Comments
    A tip of the hat to the team for jumping straight into 100 litre casks and waiting it out. New oak can be difficult to manage at the best of times and French oak can be even more intense. But there's deep thinking and expertise here and I'm looking forward to future releases.
  • 36 Short Single Malt Whisky First Release
    The Stats
    • ABV: 45%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at 36 Short Distillery through a 1200 litre pot still from a mash of South Australian barley. Initially matured in South Australian shiraz casks before being finished in ex-Bourbon barrels. Released August 2021. Around 300 bottles in total.
    • Location: Virginia, SA
    • Score: 77
    Nose
    Lemongrass and citrus gelato. There’s a nice key lime pie character with some grain sweetness, chewing tobacco and fudge from the American oak.
    Palate
    Very soft and clean style. Feel like this would work great in a highball where the nuances might be better displayed. Sherbet and aluminium foil with some youthful hints - green pears and melons.
    Finish
    Very spirit-driven and just a bit young. A little hot and vanilla-led.
    Comments
    Very clean and spicy and could do with more integration between spirit and cask. The single malt fan would probably like a bit more malt and texture, but there are some nice flavours here. Clean as a whistle though.
  • Cut Hill Wine Cask Australian Malt Whisky
    The Stats
    • ABV: 43%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at McLaren Vale Distillery and matured in five 100 litre ex-shiraz casks and one 200 litre ex-tawny cask. These casks were vatted together, chill filtered and then bottled by the Cut Hill Distillery team under Hugh Holds in late 2021. 900 bottles in total.
    • Location: Hindmarsh, SA
    • Score: 81
    Nose
    Some cardboard to begin with, with cherry medicine and grade six pencil case vibes. But it gets more nutty and creamy as it opens up, Bueno chocolate bar and hazelnut cream.
    Palate
    Quite rich and thick, especially next to the 36 Short malt. Some light sugariness from the grain and the wine cask influence is very restrained. Subtle caramels and orange rind and a touch of muscatel.
    Finish
    Tails off abruptly here, but you're left with vanilla wafers and that nice muscatel grape character.
    Comments
    A generous malt profile that feels great on the palate and offers a good balance between oak, fruit and sweetness. Found it a bit muted overall though, which had me questioning whether or not the filtration might have removed some complexity.
  • Cut Hill Distillery Fortified Cask Australian Malt Whisky
    The Stats
    • ABV: 45%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at McLaren Vale Distillery and matured in tawny, muscat and vintage port casks. Vatted together, chill filtered and bottled by Cut Hill Distillery in late 2021.
    • Location: Hindmarsh Valley, SA
    • Score: 81
    Nose
    That familiar stewed fruit from the Australian fortified casks, apricots drizzled with maple syrup and spicy cloves. A heavy molasses character suggests that the palate is going to get woody.
    Palate
    Generous and thick, with apricot brandy and Terry’s Chocolate Orange. Great body and richness, but the spice from the oak just overtakes the lovely fortified notes a bit too much.
    Finish
    Again, the lovely sweet fruits quickly disappear, but a nice hint of tobacco at the tail.
    Comments
    There’s a lot to like about this, particularly the palate viscosity. It just needs some flair, length and a bit more personality.
  • Cut Hill Mead Cask Australian Malt Whisky
    The Stats
    • ABV: 48%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at McLaren Vale Distillery and matured in three 100 litre ex-Maxwell Wines mead casks. Same treatment as above and bottled in late 2021.
    • Location: Hindmarsh Valley, SA
    • Score: 80
    Nose
    The mead influence is front and centre but it doesn't completely overpower the malt, which holds firm with fantails and dry grass. Bubble gum and fruit toast. Some polarising flavours here, but I think it's holding together.
    Palate
    A truck load of spice, presumably from the timber, which works to counter the mead element. A spent gunpowder character develops after the second sip which I quite like, and the foreign mead element quickly becomes familiar.
    Finish
    Dries out and doesn’t leave the expected glycerine sweetness. The oak is what carries and that’s a good thing. A slight spirity character hangs out at the back.
    Comments
    It’s an acquired taste, and I’d recommend starting with this in a line-up as the mead element can be a bit foreign next to traditional oak treatments. But it's surprisingly balanced, with none of the sugary sweetness you might expect from the mead influence, no doubt thanks to the spice from the cask and intelligent blending.
How We Score
Julian White
Julian White is the co-owner of Melbourne’s Whisky & Alement and the driving force behind its importing arm the Independent Whisky Company. When he’s not scouring the planet for old and obscure bottlings, and creating daring whisky and beer projects for Australia’s curious drinkers, he’s a panel chair at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards and a presenter, whisky educator and consultant.