Corowa Distilling Co. Peated Single Barrel #242

Whisky Evaluation: The Oak Barrel, Sydney, January 19, 2021. Whisky Sample #5 Nose: Initial smell presents light fruity and floral notes. A scent of green hay and cereal, sweet and aromatic with hints of vanilla, honey, and oak cask. Very minimal peat aroma – almost none when first smelled (but see below). Palate: A sweet, smoky, and fruity start. Citrus, apple, pear, and a significantly more pronounced smoke than the nose suggested. Not a sooty or ashen smoke, but akin to mild highland peat smoke. The smoke intensifies as it develops, but there's also a slightly off-putting plastic note near the end. The texture is pleasing – slightly creamy/oily but not heavy. Finish: Medium to long. Smoked fruit and cereal, but the faint plastic note persists. This is a single-cask bottling of Corowa’s clean, crisp new spirit, aged in a first-fill American oak barrel for just over 2.5 years. It has a very pleasant light, fruity, and cereal character with a hint of sweetness, and it wasn't surprising to learn it was from an ex-Jack Daniels barrel. Interestingly, you would barely know it was a peated whisky from the first aromas. There's the slightest hint of char but no real peat-smoke quality. However, the taste is very smoky right from the start and it develops clouds of barbecued fruit as it sits on the palate. It’s not a meat-barbecue or sea-like smoke, and there's no saltiness. When you return to the nose again after the first taste, the peat smoke is now obvious, and this effect grows as you continue to taste and smell. It’s a very enjoyable whisky but not exceptional. There's nothing specific to fault, but it closely resembles many other light, fruity, peated whiskies and tends to get lost in the crowd. This is a problem considering the rather high price. AUD$199 for a 500 ml bottle equates to approximately US$230 for a standard 750ml bottle. That's a substantial amount to pay for just another “acceptable” peated whisky. Definitely worth a taste, but I wouldn't purchase a bottle. “Above Average”: 81/100 (3 stars)