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A lone entry from Japan, Small Batch Pure Malt Hatozaki, secured the top Master accolade. Chou found notes of “oat, bread, toast, porridge, raisin, plum, and vanilla”, with a “good balance of sweetness and spiciness” on the palate, and a “rich and rounded texture”. Next up, the panel assessed single malts being made in Europe, including England, Wales, France and Romania. The former had a “fruity, slightly nutty aroma with japaleño and chilli notes”, while the latter offered “pear drops” on the nose with a “deliciously fruity palate”.
Whether you’re just curious or looking to expand your whisky repertoire outside of Scotland, there’s a huge benefit to looking to the rest of the world for your next dram. Each country has its own climate, benefits from using locally grown ingredients and produces with a fresh perspective, resulting in some very exciting discoveries. Earlier this week, we published results for The American Whiskey Masters and The Irish Whiskey Masters.The tools and ingredients to create an authentically Australian whisky include barley sourced from between Hunter Valley in Northern Sydney and the Adelaide Hills and apera and red wine casks from Victoria to mature the whisky. The distillery refers to the amount of time a whisky spends in cask as ‘Melbourne years’, which refers to the phenomenon that occurs when whisky is aged in a warmer climate, which affects the maturation process and has the apparent influence of accelerating it. Perez Terrado offered some insight: “The flight showed the huge quality in the category, and there was plenty of oak influence and interesting maturation in warm climates. It shows good diversity and plenty of boldness on show.”
Twenty-two Gold medals were also awarded by the judges, including seven for Lark, five for Starward and four for Copper and Grain Distilling Co. Lark’s Rebellion whisky was described as having “cinnamon and aniseed, with some citrus and apricot compote”, while one judge enjoyed Starward Rum Cask Release IV for its “huge spice and fruitcake notes”. The colour is deep gold with a slight reddish tint and the nose has an interesting mix of sweet and fruity aromas. Aromas of toffee, golden syrup, caramel and marshmallow mingle with dried fruits (think of raisins and dark cherries in particular) and crisp red apple. Malted cereals and a good pinch of baking spices add depth and complexity. Street Distillery’s Australian Single Malt had a “sweet and complex nose” and was “light bodied and sweet on the aftertaste”. Six Silver medals brought the round to a close. Filer said of the Australasian whiskies: “On the whole, it was really classy, and these were well-integrated products with some emerging unique characters, but respectful of the style. They paid homage to single malts, but definitely brought character to the table without sweeping everything off. Very pleasant.”Nose: Fruity notes come from tannic red apple skin, strawberry laces, apricot jam, orange peel, fresh raspberries and mango slices in juice. Alongside them is a dusting of cacao powder, oaky vanilla, ginger beer, a little charred chilli pepper. Then demerara sugar, maple syrup, nougat and milky coffee. Around the edges, toasted almonds and marzipan make an appearance, with some fresh nutmeg grated on top for good measure.
Interest in whisky being made in countries outside of the traditional nations of Scotland, Ireland, and America is flying high. As consumers face price hikes for well-known brands, and deal with tighter purse strings, there are boundless opportunities for drinkers to explore whiskies being made from Asia, Canada, and South Africa, to European countries such as Wales and Denmark. We may sell, license, transfer, assign or in any other way dispose of the Service (including Members) to any third party without any notification to you, e.g. (but without limitation) in connection with any reorganization, restructuring, merger or sale, or other transfer of assets. Left-Field is matured in 100 per cent French oak casks, including some which have been charred to add another flavour dimension to the whisky. The barrels were sourced from the premier Australian wine-producing regions of the Barossa Valley and Yarra Valley. Launched in Europe earlier this year, Left-Field is the newest addition to the Starward core range. Matured in red wine barrels, Starward Left-Field is an Australian single malt whisky, specifically made with the European palate in mind.Concluding the trio was Forest Whisky from Cheshire in the UK. Gorn described it as “rich and sweet with some lovely toffee apples and floral notes” while Neotia enjoyed its “spicy tingle” and finish of “long-baked apple and walnut”. A second team consisted of me, Nicola Carruthers, deputy editor of The Spirits Business. I chaired spirits educator Antony Moss, and Claire Filer, of Ginesthesia. The Taste Master award for the most impressive expression in the competition went to an Australian whisky, Starward Fortis, after the judges retasted all of the Master medallists. So that’s the new Starward: it’s not particularly left field but it’s a great mixer. And it certainly appeals to my European palate. Other Gold medallists included Forty Creek Barrel Select Whisky, with its notes of chocolate, coconut cream and rice pudding, and Signal Hill Whisky, lauded for its “baked almond cake, peanuts, and custard chocolate cream”. Two Silvers were also awarded.
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