Hobart Single Malt Whisky Tawny Cask

We have reached the conclusion of a series, featuring another expression from a rising star distillery in Tasmania. Tonight's offering is from a Tawny (Australian Port) cask. My general view is that port casks tend to be successful, at least in part because they can hide an inferior spirit. Nevertheless, I am usually a fan of port cask maturation and rate them quite highly; they strike me as luxurious. This final expression from Hobart deviates from their typical recipe of Bourbon and Fortified cask aging. Here, the spirit matured for three years in two 100-liter Tawny casks before being moved and finished for just under two years in a new 225-liter Tawny Port cask. The expression I'm tasting is another robust cask strength at 58.9% ABV. Nose: Indulgent richness. Thick with brown sugar, plums, subtle allspice, and some leather. A gentle malt character emerges from beneath, and a pear/apple sweetness provides just enough lift to maintain perfect balance. Palate: Indeed, here we go: a balance of a luxurious, silky mouthfeel and a rich flavor profile. Deep toasted oak spice, leather, tobacco, bitter tannins. Savory malt with orange zest and a hint of menthol freshness. Sticky date pudding and mocha. Finish: Medium to long. Satisfying burnt sugar and molasses. A slight hint of bitter espresso, sweet cherry, or plum. Given the absence of high-proof burn, I was tempted to sip this neat. However, to keep in line with the previous five, I added a splash of water to the Tawny. It seems to have minimal effect, though it does awaken the palate and draw out the crisp apple/pear sweetness from the nose onto the palate, extending the finish into dark chocolate and caramel. It's not essential, though. While Port casks can be criticized for being overly dominant and masking poor production or spirit quality, here the cask is a compliment, not a mask. The malt is just present enough to play a supporting role, showing in the sugary notes and an ever-present underlying malty character. Hobart has been fascinating and reinforces my desire to visit the peculiar, almost isolated country located south of the continent where I reside. The signature batch demonstrates a fundamental character designed to satisfy the majority with consistency. However, the cask finishes are where Hobart's spirit truly excels. I'm uncertain if I could identify any of these as related, suggesting they benefit from excellent wood selections. While the un-finished Muscat is, at best, slightly above average, the remarkable complexity of the Botrytis and the deep, luscious richness of the Tawny, not to mention the precise character of the Chardonnay cask, make this one to watch closely. If only Australia would relax its alcohol tax and make 700 ml bottles more affordable, I'd be filling my extra shelves with Hobart's excellent spirit. Cheers. Distillery spirit tasting notes: #196 Note that prices are for 500 ml bottles. [No ice; I don't have the energy to contemplate six tasting notes in one evening]. Hobart distillery cumulative scores Signature Batch (#14): 2.75/5 Muscat Cask Finish: 2.75/5 Botrytis Cask Finish: 4.5/5 Pinot Noir Cask: 3/5 Chardonnay Cask Finish: 4/5 Tawny Cask: 4.5/5