Cape Byron "The Original"

A complimentary malt, thanks again to a generous individual for something I am very eager to sample. This spirit is the creation of Cape Byron Distillery Co-founder and distiller Eddie Brook and Jim McEwan (Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Ardnahoe). Nose: Gentle, smooth, and rich. Abundant cereal notes like shortbread and barley, accompanied by strawberries and peaches. Vanilla, a touch of citrus, and a nearly sweet brininess. At 47%, this is not subdued, but it lacks any harshness for a young spirit. Palate: Medium consistency with a spicy warmth and smooth consistency. Ripe fruits, mango, pineapple, honeydew melon. The richness comes from coconut, vanilla, and brown sugar, possibly even macadamia. Towards the finish, a slight warmth with a slick saltiness. A little water introduces a delightful tartness to the tropical notes that is quite pleasing. Finish: Moderate. Ginger, smooth vanilla, and something similar to Malibu rum with pineapple. Australian whisky has seen significant growth recently, and in a crowded young market, many experimenters and unconventional producers overlook or disregard the fundamentals. That doesn't seem to be the case here. It's a well-rounded and refreshingly straightforward approach to working with the Byron Bay environment. Brook and McEwan have avoided using smaller barrels to 'speed up' the aging process, a stark contrast to the methods of many Australian distillers. They use 200-300 liter ex-Buffalo Trace barrels, purpose-built warehouses to manage extreme climate conditions, and patient aging with exposure to coastal humidity. The outcome is a beautifully presented profile of tropical fruits, delicate textures, and coastal influence. Nothing complicated, nothing overpowering, just a clear and assured presence. This reminds me of the Arran 10 and Arran Bothy releases, as well as the Classic Laddie, and I'm happy to say I'm impressed and will be seeking out a bottle, along with its Chardonnay counterpart. It's undoubtedly a future Australian classic. [Pictured with a biotite-kyanite schist from the Harts Range of central Australia. This excellent metamorphic rock started out as a muddy sediment around 1.78 billion years ago. Later heating and deformation of these sediments resulting from compression of the crust ending at around 1730 million years ago. Much later intrusions of pegmatites represent the conclusion of a tectonothermal phenomenon 520 million years ago that provided the right conditions for the formation of large, high-quality mineral specimens such as these lovely blue beauties - a little known Aussie classic]

Aroma: Smells of bubblegum, lemon, orange, the skins of green apples, cranberries, vanilla, strawberries, and pears. It presents a cereal and fruit-focused aroma driven by the distillate, with minimal cask influence that is either apparent or intrusive. As it rests and opens in the glass, and with a few drops of water, more tropical fruit and vanilla emerge alongside a refreshing hint of sea brine. Flavor: Arrives sweet with some accompanying hot spices (ginger and a bit of hot cinnamon rather than chili). The development reveals a surge of tropical fruit flavors, notably kiwifruit, mango, starfruit, dragonfruit, and white grapes. The later palate offers creamy caramel notes, vanilla, and coconut. The texture is medium-bodied, but not slick. A touch of water significantly improves this flavor profile and is highly advised. Finish: Medium. Fruity notes that fade to a mild, creamy aftertaste with a hint of sour pineapple. This tasting was from Batch 2 of the initial whisky release from the distillery, which is more recognized locally for gin and liqueurs. It was jointly created by the distillery founder and master distiller, and a renowned Scotch whisky figure (of Bowmore, Bruichladdich and Ardnahoe fame). On the nose, this whisky is much more akin to Scottish malts than most Australian whiskies, being unashamedly cereal, fruity, and spirit-led with a subtle American oak cask influence. I believe standard-sized ex-Bourbon barrels were used for maturation instead of the usual small Australian red-wine octaves commonly utilized by our distilleries. It resembles several Scottish un-peated malts. However, the palate displays a more pronounced Australian character with numerous tropical fruit and spice notes. Upon initial tasting neat, the palate can seem somewhat brash and young, but adding a splash of water enhances it considerably, highlighting the distillate's softer sweet cereal aspect. The slightly sharp tang of unripe citrus or pineapple persists on the finish, however. Without water, I would have rated this at 82 (3.25 stars), but with dilution, it elevates to just under 4 stars. Overall, a great introductory effort, and a pleasant change from the rather heavy-handed red-wine cask-dominated whiskies we have encountered locally for a long time. I was left with the impression that this is a very positive first attempt that is eminently enjoyable right now, but with judicious maturation, it could one day become one of the best domestic whiskies. Well done. “Good”: 84/100 (3.75 stars)