Amber Lane Liquid Amber

My last shared malt from a generous friend. Thank you again, a diverse and intriguing batch this time. This distillery is located in the Yarramalong Valley on NSW's Central Coast. It was established in 2017 by two friends and amateur astronomers. This expression is one of their sherry-influenced whiskies, matured in ex-Fernando de Castilla sherry casks; a rare privilege granted to only two distilleries globally. I question the significance of that detail, however. They allowed ample time for maturation, selecting four years for bottling instead of the two years typically common in Australia. Nose: Rich and dark, possessing an earthy and leathery quality that suggests an age beyond four years. Thick with dark jam and vanilla extract. A substantial, bold, and rich aroma. That's all I detect initially; with time in the glass, some subtle oatmeal grittiness becomes apparent. Palate: Full-bodied with a velvety thickness. There's an immediate taste of chocolate and a candied ginger sensation. Packed with deep, rich sugar flavors reminiscent of golden syrup and caramel, possibly with a hint of zesty apple, though it's not prominent. Similar to the nose, it's a bold arrival that seems to abruptly cease. Finish: Medium-short. The juicy apple fruit note, subtly present on the palate, emerges more strongly in the finish, while the ginger transforms into a more baked spice character. The distillery describes itself as straightforward, down-to-earth, and flavor-focused. I concur that they have achieved this here. This is a simple, bold, and impactful young spirit that excels at delivering a few flavors exceptionally well. They utilize a pot still engineered to maximize copper contact for a more complex flavor profile. I must disagree with that claim. The local barley is largely overshadowed by the potent choice of cask and the considerable time spent interacting with the wood. While enjoyable, I would have preferred to experience more of the underlying spirit rather than it being masked by the sherry cask influence. Whiskey tasting entry #167 [Pictured alongside, regrettably, not a piece of amber. I own none and am displeased. Instead, this is bismuth, also known as unicorn poo. It is artificially created but exhibits a fascinating crystal growth pattern called ‘hoppers’. As molten bismuth cools, crystals begin to form and grow so rapidly that only the edges develop while the faces are neglected. Oxidation imparts the beautiful colors. You can acquire bismuth cheaply online and create these in a saucepan. Amusing activity.]

Tasting notes for Amber Lane at The Oak Barrel in Sydney on June 8, 2022. Spirit #2 Nose: Notes of earthy sherry, plum jam, fig preserves, vanilla extract, and caramel sauce are present. The scents are robust but lack significant development. Adding water does not alter the aroma much. Palate: The initial taste is full-bodied and sweet, yet mellow, with milk chocolate-covered honeycomb as the first flavor. It provides a very smooth and inviting start, evolving into a sweet, rich taste. Flavors of toffee, maple syrup, golden syrup, orange zest, and stone fruits are noticeable and balanced by a hint of spice. The texture is smooth and is only slightly affected by the addition of water. Finish: Medium length. Sweet and fruity with a hint of cinnamon spice that is both sweet and warming. Amber Lane is a new distillery situated in the Yarramalong Valley of New South Wales, located between Sydney and Newcastle. Rod Berry and Phil Townsend established the distillery in 2017, and it has participated in its first festival and event tastings this year. Liquid Amber is a full-bodied spirit that resembles a mild, PX-finished Scottish single malt more than a typical strong Australian sherry-forward spirit. The spirit was matured in a mix of ex-Heaven Hill bourbon barrels, Australian ex-apera (local sherry) casks, and ex-Spanish PX solera casks from Fernando de Castilla. It was aged for 4 years, double the aging period of most Australian whiskies. Similar to the first whisky sampled that evening (Amberosia), I observed a limited progression due to its youth in both the aroma and taste. However, with Liquid Amber, the more complex cask influence somewhat compensates for this. I liked this spirit enough to purchase a bottle that night. It has a natural color, is un-chillfiltered, bottled at 48% abv, and unusually comes in a 700ml size instead of the disappointing 500ml bottles commonly seen. The typical price is $169, but at the event price of $145, I considered it a reasonable value. “Good”: 83/100 (3.5 stars)