Review: Heartwood ‘Blend over blackwoods’ Blended Whisky

Now this is something different. There's the expected jam and juicy fruit courtesy of the classic Heartwood apera and tawny treatment, but then the earthy, dark chocolate and ash characters from Belgrove and Adams begin to emerge. Gets fruitier and more estery with time: red apples, figs and grassy spice. You've got to wade through the cask here though.

Wow. While the nose is a bit dense, everything comes together on the palate (not an uncommon experience for Heartwoods). The interplay of flavours here is beguiling. The oat whisky adds a creamy, peppery drive and the malts chime in with smoke, burnt butter, candied orange and Choc Honey Malt. All of this is wrapped up in luscious Aussie fortifieds, and although the cask treatment is forward, it's by no means overbearing. Exceptional casks.

Long, syrupy. The Adams peat drives through alongside brandied cherries and fruitcake.

The more I think on this whisky, the more I reckon I just haven't come across anything quite like it. When you hear that an oat whisky (65% oats and equal proportions rye, barley and wheat) has been blended with a smattering of different malt components and then matured in luxe fortified casks, you're expecting something off the wall. But this works, and that's purely down to the zaniness, flair and skill of the Duckett's. Heartwoods can be hard to procure, but the TIB Blend No. 3 (Oat + Malt + Peat) is, for me, as good as this, if not better, and more affordable and available.