Black Gate BG077 Australian Peated Single Malt

Nose: A spirited bite on the nose when neat, with hints of sweet, citrusy smoke in the background. Stone fruits and raisins, a light wine character, but not heavily influenced by the cask. The peat smoke becomes more noticeable after the initial sip. Adding a tiny bit of water softens the bite, making the nose ideal. Palate: Peat smoke is much more prominent on the palate than the nose, right from the start. The smoke builds in the middle but stays within a mild citrus profile. This is far from a peat overload; it's more akin to a fruity highland single malt with smoky undertones. Finish: Medium to long. A pleasant, sweet smoke that gradually fades. This is a lovely Australian smoky single malt, likely crafted with peated malt imported from Scotland (please correct me if I'm mistaken). Since no Australian maltster produces genuine peated malt, most Australian smoky whiskies are made by smoking malt that has already been kilned. This method works but results in a smoke quality that dissipates quickly, losing much of its character during distillation. A friend frequently creates single-cask whiskies with very high alcohol content, but with this release, he opted for a more subtle, sweet, and accessible product, which I find to be an undeniable success (similar to nearly everything I've sampled from Black Gate distillery). I'm unsure how he consistently produces such nuanced yet complex whisky or manages maturation in the extreme temperatures of Mendooran, but that's the mark of genius, isn't it? Highly Recommended "Very Good": 85/100 (4 stars)