Review: Single malt whiskies of New South Wales

Luke McCarthy -
Whisky Reviews
featured image
On tasting: Archie Rose Single Malt Whisky (first release), Otter Craft Distilling Whiskey Sherry Cask, The Riverbourne Identity (Edition 6), The Riverbourne Supremacy (Edition 7), Joadja Single Malt Whisky PX Cask (Batch 9), and Joadja Paddock to Bottle Double Wood (Batch 12) and Cask Strength (Batch 10)

What a year it’s been for whisky producers in New South Wales. From bush fires to COVID-19, to the hysteria over Archie Rose’s first single malt release, there’s been plenty going on and there’s still plenty more to come.

We’ve previously covered whiskies from Black Gate and Newcastle Distillery, but with this round-up we’re finally getting to some of NSW’s other top whisky producers (stay tuned for Corowa Distilling Co. next week).

And with The Aisling Distillery releasing their first whisky in coming weeks, Craig Field from Craft Works releasing his first Capertee-distilled malt in November, and Manly Spirits Co. set to launch their first whisky soon, the state is quickly catching up to the rest of the country for whisky-making prowess.

I don’t think there’s a regional blanket you can throw over these distilleries in terms of production or style, especially in a place as massive and varied as NSW. But quality is consistent across the board, and there’s a mixture of tradition and innovation on show in the whiskies reviewed below.

It’s a great line-up, and this is only a glimpse of what these distilleries are releasing. Hoping to bring you more soon!

  • Archie Rose Single Malt Whisky (First Release)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 46%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Starts with the six malt mashbill which was mashed, fermented and distilled at Archie Rose's Rosebery distillery. All the components were distilled between November 2015 and February 2018. Matured predominantly in 100, 200 and 300-litre Australian apera casks, with some ex-Bourbon and Archie Rose’s own ex-rye whisky casks. 3000 bottles in total.
    • Location: Sydney, NSW
    • Score: 86
    Nose
    Big cereal and malt character, as you'd expect. Dark chocolate, cocoa and slightly herbal and floral - rye bread and Japanese temples - with loads of spice extracted from those casks.
    Palate
    Again, chocolatey and quite nutty: peanut brittle, Oreos, rocky road and poached pears with chocolate sauce. The cereal malt flavour is dominant, which I suppose is the point. Quite a lot of cask influence, too, more 'Australian' than I was expecting, and you feel these casks have been working hard in the Sydney heat.
    Finish
    More gentle here, doesn't quite carry.
    Comments
    It's really well put together, and you certainly taste the different components. But I wonder if it‘s a bit too cerebral? I love the nose, so expressive, but the palate was just a bit one track - huge six malt drive, spice from the casks, and not much else. I can see what Dave Withers means. This is going to get better.
  • Otter Craft Distilling Whiskey Sherry Cask
    The Stats
    • ABV: 51.4%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Otter Craft Distilling on the 10th of December 2017 and bottled July 2020. Matured in a 20 litre ex-apera barrel coopered by Tasmanian Cask Co. Bottled for The Virtual Australian Whisky Show.
    • Location: Sydney, NSW
    • Score: 78
    Nose
    High quality oak tannins upfront, tropical fruit, rum baba and varnish. Freshly sawn timber and a hint of pine. With some searching, the malt appears, but there's a lot of cask here and not much else.
    Palate
    The start is promising - banana and big apera notes. But the cask quickly takes over and it becomes very dry and slightly bitter - old nutmeg.
    Finish
    Quite short, more oak.
    Comments
    There are some lovely moments here, but the cask has got a hold of this. A shame, because the brandied cherry, almost high floral notes are super enticing. I'm looking forward to tasting more of these limited OCD bottlings.
  • The Riverbourne Identity Single Malt Whisky (Edition 6)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 48%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Mashed, distilled and matured at Riverbourne Distillery. 'Edition 6' is a marriage of three ex-red wine casks from the Napa Valley (2 x 50 litre and one 25 litre, with virgin oak heads) that were distilled in 2017 and bottled in October 2020. 248 bottles total.
    • Location: Jingera, NSW
    • Score: 87
    Nose
    Subtle initially. A little closed. With time, fresh hay, saw dust, vanilla, lemon and honeycomb.
    Palate
    Yum. Butterscotch, caramel and malt biscuits. Seriously oily and viscous. Balance between cask and spirit is spot on here. Don't get much wine influence, either - maybe a hint of red berries and rosé. Great choice of bottling strength.
    Finish
    Lovely malt kick and super persistent.
    Comments
    Delicious. The nose doesn't give much away, but on the palate, it gets so thick and creamy. It's refreshing to see a smaller producer putting out something so malt and spirit forward, and the cask treatment has been brilliantly managed. Name and bottle design are a bit odd, but it's all about the liquid, right?
  • The Riverbourne Supremacy Single Malt Whisky (The Raven, Edition 7)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 48%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Edition 7, Riverbourne's latest 'Supremacy' peated offering. A marriage of four 50 litre ex-red wine casks from the Napa Valley. The peated malt used in the mash is sourced from Bairds in Inverness.
    • Location: Jingera, NSW
    • Score: 88
    Nose
    Subtle peak smoke, quite heathery, moss, manuka honey and campfire. More perfumey and floral as it opens up.
    Palate
    Again, thick and very textural. The butterscotch and caramel again (a distillery trait?) The peat is really well integrated - this ain't a peat monster, more like a classy Highlander suffused with smoke.
    Finish
    Again, lovely. Could possibly go later on that final cut for more peat and grunge, but it's delicious like this anyhow.
    Comments
    Another tasty treat. So well integrated and balanced. The peat never becomes dominant, but it's properly involved throughout the whole experience, mingling with the malt, which shines thanks to careful maturation.
  • Joadja Single Malt Whisky Ex-Pedro Ximenez Cask (Batch 9)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 48%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Mashed, fermented and distilled at Joadja Distillery through Knapp Lewer pot stills. Batch 9 was matured in two 64 litre American oak ex-pedro ximenez casks sourced from Spain and bottled in March 2020.
    • Location: Joadja, NSW
    • Score: 80
    Nose
    Lots of timber upfront. Lacquer, dried raisins, molasses and cured meat. Dark chocolate and charred American oak.
    Palate
    Richer and creamier than the nose suggests. Still some prickle and dryness and the timber is prominent, but there's more figs, vanilla and marzipan here, with fruitcake and tart berries.
    Finish
    Chalky and a little dry at the back.
    Comments
    The richness on the palate rescues what is a pretty woody experience. If that's how you like your Aussie whisky, this will be right up your alley. And while there's some complex flavours on offer, there's a bit too much youth and timber for mine.
  • Joadja Single Malt Whisky Paddock to Bottle Double Wood (Batch 12)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 48%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Production Story: Joadja Distillery's first 'paddock to bottle' double wood offering. The barley crop was grown at Joadja, then mashed, fermented, distilled and matured onsite. This 'Batch 12' bottling was drawn from 10 x 32 litre ex-oloroso sherry casks (actual Spanish sherry casks) which were initially aged for 18 months and then married together and finished in three Bourbon casks for an additional six months.
    • Location: Joadja, NSW
    • Score: 85
    Nose
    Cereals and vanilla. Spice and fruit. Hints of oloroso and creme caramel. Camphor and eucalyptus after rain.
    Palate
    Plenty of sweet cereals - Werthers and vanilla slice. Chocolate eclairs, butter cake, and wood shavings as it progresses.
    Finish
    Oak and timber lingering.
    Comments
    All things considered, a pretty remarkable whisky. Producing paddock to bottle whisky like this is a tough exercise, and congrats to everyone involved. The cask treatment is interesting. It's unleashed some decadent, creamy sherry characters that are delicious, and further maturation in ex-Bourbon has helped to better integrate and mellow the whole. But whether the maturation program serves the uniqueness of the spirit, I'm not so sure. Feel like more time in bigger casks would turn this into something properly stunning. Either way, very cool stuff.
  • Joadja Single Malt Whisky Paddock to Bottle Cask Strength Ex Bourbon Cask (Batch 10)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 62.9%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Joadja's first 'paddock to bottle' whisky. The barley was grown onsite, and then mashed, fermented, distilled and matured at Joadja Distillery. This first release was a marriage of two American oak ex-Bourbon casks. 650 500ml bottles, and 100 200ml bottles in total.
    • Location: Joadja Distillery
    • Score: 84
    Nose
    Loads of vanilla and shortbread. There's some heat and youth, but plenty going on. Fairy floss, lemon drops, peaches and that common lick of camphor you find on Joadja whiskies.
    Palate
    Big American oak. Coconut, cloves and malt. Gets a little woody as it moves along, but time in glass and a little water tempers that and brings on ice cream and marshmallows.
    Finish
    More cloves, and tannin grips in.
    Comments
    Again, very cool, and a cracking price considering what's on offer. Great choice of cask here, too, but just a little too much wood and youth for me. Still fascinating stuff. Excited for future releases.
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.