Bakery Hill Classic Single Malt

Bakery Hill tasting event, Sydney, February 18, 2020, Whisky #1 Nose: Vibrant, grainy cereal, freshly baked bread yeastiness, slightly fruity and floral, a hint of honey. Strongly spirit-forward with almost no cask influence. Fresh and crisp – almost fragile. Palate: A firm, bright entry that again emphasizes a clean cereal character. Very crisp with some malt notes, but I found little development beyond significant heat that builds in the middle and slightly obscures the flavors. The texture is more oily than neutral. Like the nose, the palate is dominated by the spirit. Finish: Medium to short. Light, dry, semi-sweet flavors that fade into a sweet cereal aftertaste. I've only tried one other Bakery Hill before this (the Sovereign Smoke, which I really enjoyed and gave 4 stars), so I anticipated a bit more from this standard offering. It's certainly a very clean and direct spirit, but also quite simple. My initial reaction was "what's the big deal?" and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. Adding a little water at first enhanced it by broadening the profile and adding some sweetness (as it frequently does), but eventually, a faint wet cardboard taste appeared. I considered this whisky slightly above average, but not by much. Considering the price (US$110 for a 500ml bottle!), I don't believe this offers good value. "Average": 79/100 (2.75 stars)

I sampled the peated version from this distillery last year in Christchurch, New Zealand, and truly enjoyed it, even with its lighter Speyside character. I was in Melbourne, only a twenty-minute drive from the distillery. Unfortunately, no tours were available during my Christmas and New Year visit, but I decided to call them anyway. Against the odds, as they were on a holiday break and tidying up, the founder and owner, David, invited me to stop by. It's rare to sit with a founder at their distillery, have a good conversation, and taste their spirits. David was a very pleasant person and shared much interesting information, which I'll distribute across the reviews for his other whiskies. I'm not typically drawn to Speyside profiles, but this was pleasant, featuring mainly green apple, malt, and vanilla. I must admit, I preferred the other bottles in the range more.

Upon opening, the entire living room smelled like methylated spirits. Even with some water and ten minutes to mellow, it didn't improve. The entire 50ml sample bottle went down the drain, which is a disgrace for a $165 AUD bottle containing only 500ml. It's pure, unadulterated raw spirit with no sign of barrel aging whatsoever. Simply awful.

Wonderful sweet honey on the nose with a touch of dried fruit (raisins). A slightly oily mouthfeel where the sweet ripe fruits covered in honey come through. A strong, warming finish with a pear-apple aftertaste.

It has a more woody profile that fades, then gives way to crisp green apple notes.

Incredibly smooth, with a sweet finish. Perfect for breakfast.