Review: Upshot Bandit Australian Corn Whiskey

Luke McCarthy -
Just inReview
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‘Straightforward and approachable and designed for the contemporary whiskey drinker.’ So runs the copy on the new Upshot Bandit bottling from Perth’s award-winning Whipper Snapper Distillery. It’s hard to argue with the tag line.

Straight-up solid drinking Aussie corn whiskey at a competitive price. Should appeal to a whole lot of folks looking for an affordable and versatile local option.

And if you haven’t tried Whipper Snapper’s more premium bottlings (Upshot Cask Strength, Wheat Whiskey, Red Corn, Upshot Rye, etc), get to it. Some of the best drinking, distinctive, value for money whisky being produced in Australia today.

  • Whipper Snapper Upshot Bandit Australian Corn Whiskey (Barrel No. 14)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 43%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Corn whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Whipper Snapper Distillery from a mashbill of corn (80%), wheat (10%) and barley (10%), all Western Australian grains, and matured in a single virgin American oak barrel. Released December 2023.
    • Location: Perth, WA
    • Score: 83
    Nose
    Light and creamy upfront. Grilled corn, caramel, bubble gum and a slightly nutty pecan pie note. Touch of youth, but it really opens up with time in glass, bringing on stone fruit, hay shed and orange rind.
    Palate
    Fresh and easy going, although more spicy and earthy than expected. Dried apricot, nutmeg and dark chocolate. The vanillins from the American oak nicely guide things along as it progresses. Touch of youth here again, but easy to forgive as we're in well rounded territory here.
    Finish
    Shortish, but a good spicy follow-through otherwise. Dusty oak and caramel fudge.
    Comments
    Does what it says on the tin. Straightforward and approachable. Beyond that, there's good structure here. Spirit and cask get along nicely, and it's a very tidy offering for the price ($90). Would make a great mixer, too. Good with ginger ale and soda, but it's got enough spice and depth to hold up in a range of classics.
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.