Australian Whisky
Australian whisky is still relatively unknown in the U.S. due to its general youth — the oldest distillery in the country, Lark, was founded in 1992 — but it actually has more than 100 whiskey distilleries on the island, with about 1/4 of them located on Tasmania. Australia dabbled with whisky in the 1800s to early 1900s, but these distilleries ultimately focused on low-grade products which were eventually shunned in favor of higher quality imports. Today, Australian whisky is largely made in the single malt style with a clear nod toward Scotland, with local barley and wine finishes both popular.
American whiskey enthusiasts are likely familiar with horse-themed Pinhook, but what does the term mean? It originates from Kentucky’s tobacco trade, where speculators would purchase young plants from farmers and mark them with a pinned note at market. By buying low and selling high, these speculators often secured significant profits. In the context of thoroughbred…
And now for something completely different… Playboy Spirits’ Rare Hare line specializes in ultra-luxe, ultra-expensive whiskeys, to date including a bourbon and an old Canadian bottling. The third installment in the series hails from, of all places, Tasmania, Australia. And it’s 20 years old. Here we go: If you didn’t know that Tasmania has a…
Of all the whisky team-ups I could imagine, Scotland’s Lagavulin and Australia’s Starward was nowhere near the top of my list (despite Diageo having a not insignificant interest in the latter). Sure, the two countries have some cultural history. There’s a better than zero chance that a couple centuries ago an illicit distiller from Islay…
Australia is on the rise as a whiskey producer, and the latest brand to enter the fray is Morris, which was officially launched in the U.S. last September — becoming only the third Aussie whiskey brand to be sold in the country. The goal of Morris: “to capture the provenance, climate, and terroir of Australia.”…
Here’s a fun fact: The Gospel Straight Rye Whiskey is the first Australian whiskey that is legally labelled as “straight,” following the strict distillation and maturation rules required of American whiskeys. The whiskey is made form 100% unmalted rye grown on a single farm in the Murray Mallee region of South Australia, said to be…
Starward is an Australian malt barley whisky that has been inching its way into the U.S. markets over the past several years. (We reviewed a couple of their releases in 2019 and 2020.) Hailing from foodie-centric Melbourne, Starward sources the grains and supplies from local farms and merchants, along with the wine barrels used for…
Australian whisky brand Starward has been making slow inroads into the U.S. market, beginning with the Nova bottling we reviewed late last year. Now a second expression of Starward is here, Two-Fold, and it’s a unique whisky for any country. Two-Fold is named because it’s made with two separate whiskies, each distilled from a single…
Whiskey festivals come in all shapes and sizes, but WhiskyLIVE consistently produces a very approachable event for a fan at any stage in their whiskey obsession. There’s a good balance of offerings from industry heavy hitters and smaller craft outfits, as well as the occasional downright weird bottling. This year, I got to taste whiskey…
With so many whiskeys out there to try, from distillers big and small, whiskey festivals can easily be overwhelming. WhiskyLIVE offers a good balance of options, showcasing industry heavy-hitters along with up-and-coming American (and several international) craft distillers. It’s small in comparison to events like WhiskyFest, in both attendance and vendors, so your options are…
Wet weather didn’t stop the masses from crowding onto the San Francisco Belle this year, a rite of passage for Bay Area whisky lovers attending the annual Whiskies of the World Expo. Lots of great stuff on tap this year, particularly from independent Scotch bottlers. Without further ado… Tasting Report: Whiskies of the World San…