Bimber Single Cask #191 Cask Strength Single Malt Australian Edition

Here we go again, another Bimber (number four), another American oak offering. This time an Australian exclusive ex-Bourbon. Some Googling has uncovered that Bimber have been offering exclusives for the ‘rest of the world’ since 2021 under their label of ‘Country Collection’. The Australian bottling was taken further with an Australian importer (Wonderland Drinks) taking pick of the barrels; cask #191, for just 252 bottles. Already I’m tired, sounds like up selling under the guise of exclusivity and faux-rarity. But, with an open mind and palate we try… Nose: A little tickle from high ABV and untamed spirit. Big juicy nose, rich in pear and peachy stone fruit. Buttery softness and plenty of vanilla and pastry shop sensations. The oak is gentle and blends with a fresh cut grass. There is a little young grist lurking about. And I caught one whiff of something a little rancid-vomit; fortunately it didn’t come back. Palate: Drying and with a notable ABV presence. Black pepper heat, new wood shavings, oaty-mealy grains and malt. Weak pineapple cream, brown sugar-honey sweetness. Hints of citrus spritz. Creamy vanilla. Pepper starts to get in the way after more than a couple of sips. Finish: Short, banana and malty flavors are quickly gone leaving a long lasting and powerful ABV presence as a wallop of pepper and warmth at the back of the throat. A single dash of water brings chilli into the peppery mix and adds an even dustier-grist presence to the malt profile. The nose is soured by a dash of water. I thought 60% demanded it but I am, as always, an idiot that knows nothing. Directly comparable to the ex-Bourbon (batch 2, cask strength) that I opened my Bimber exploration on. The backbone is identical, the nose here has a little more oomph but isn’t as enjoyable or summery. The palate, maybe moves towards a sharper and more citrusy profile than the maltier and softer creams of the batch 2. But overall the pros vs cons level out and are by and large the same whisky really, the Australian exclusive is in essence just a single barrel component that didn’t go into the ex-Bourbon cask strength batch. I find it, and its price tag, entirely unnecessary. I have two more Bimbers to go, both in a different direction to the current four. My summary so far: young, aggressive, needing time in the barrel, forgettable but with promise of things to come. My worry is that I am terribly misrepresenting Bimber. Other commentary I have read has been nothing short of exemplary, so what am I missing? [Pictured here with an Australian rock for an Australian exclusive. This rock is a garnet-feldspar-biotite schist from the Irindina Gneiss package of the Harts Range in the Northern Territory. This rock is part of a complex high grade metamorphic succession dating back to 1.75 billion years ago consisting of lots of muddy sediments that got cooked up at over 800 deg C and pressures of up to 10 kbar around 600-475 million years ago. That is to say that this rock is hot schist.] Bimber running scores: ex-Bourbon (batch 2, cask strength): 2.5 re-charred American oak: 2.75 Virgin American oak single cask: 3 Aus Excl. ex-bourbon cask #191: 2.5