Limeburners Darkest Winter

Crafted with Western Australian peat for an extended time, Darkest Winter was designed to bring warmth on the longest nights. When the head distiller envisioned Darkest Winter, his goal was to create a spirit that highlighted Western Australian peat. Utilizing the gentle peat found near the Valley of the Giants in Walpole, premium Great Southern barley was smoked for an extended duration to enhance the qualities of this scarce and distinct peat source. It was aged in ex-bourbon American oak casks. Darkest Winter is meant to be savored during celebrations or for moments of contemplation. Each year, the distillery chooses to acknowledge the renowned Darkest Winter expression on the night of the Winter Solstice. Bottled at its natural cask strength, this is peated whisky as it exists in the barrel, and Darkest Winter is released as individually numbered cask selections. Each cask will present its own distinct traits, leading to minor variations from one batch to the next. I acquired bottle 53/182 from cask M484 at the main Albany distillery last month, on the night of the winter solstice, but unfortunately did not get to open it. Having previously tried an unspecified cask at the Giniversity location in March, it is finally time to open this gem... Nose: A potent aroma that can be detected from across the room. Notes of a damp woodland emerge; herbal and subtly smoky. A comforting maple sweetness and possibly some syrupy pear. Adding a few drops of water brings the smoke forward and perhaps the faintest hint of orchard fruit appears, I'm uncertain, but I'm happy to keep enjoying the aroma! Palate: An initial spicy warmth gives way to a gentle sweetness reminiscent of apples and dried apricots. The malt and barley are present but not overshadowed, they hold their ground. Everything is enveloped in a comforting layer of subtly earthy and nutty smoke. Adding water diminishes the palate in my opinion; the delightful sweet notes vanish, and the smoke and spice intensify. Do not add water. Finish: Lingering. Warmth and depth unfold within the smoke to a smooth dark caramel and tropical fruit, maybe even a banana flavor similar to dried banana chips? Regarding the palate, water detracts; spicy warmth and vivid smoke are dominant. I reiterate, do not add water. Cask strength was the intention and should be respected. Truly, a darkest winter. This has transported me back to childhood winter evenings in the UK, trekking through mud and damp leaves in the mossy forests of my hometown. This is a spirit to appreciate, to ponder, to assess. I feel exceptionally fortunate, having sampled some Arran whiskies last night, and now this. To me, Darkest Winter is a wonder. It is unsurprising that a prominent reviewer named it the finest whisky in the southern hemisphere (2018) and that it has received numerous other awards. It is pricey, certainly, but the recollections this whisky evokes, the care with which it is crafted, and the sheer impact it has had on me easily justify the cost. (Shown with some lovely folded Albany garnet gneiss, whisky served neat). Whisky tasting #44

Nose (neat): Sweet light smoke, pine resin, herbal cough drops, green vegetal and earthy notes. Fragrant fruity aromas are also present (pear, stewed apple with just a pinch of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg), but it was quite restrained when neat. Nose (reduced): With a few drops of water, the profile remains similar to the neat nose, but the resinous quality noticeably softens, and it gains balance. Over time in the glass, the diluted sample exhibited honey and became more cohesive. Palate (neat): A soft but substantial arrival with powdered ginger and white pepper. Very malty with prominent vanilla notes. The development reveals a smoky presence supporting dried mixed fruits and nuts, anise, white pepper, cereal, and oak spices. The texture is lightly creamy, and the whisky has a soft, warming, enveloping quality. Palate (reduced): The smoke is much more immediate and defined when diluted, but the arrival becomes hotter and spicier, a bit too much for my preference, and overall the whisky loses complexity. Arguably, it gains balance, but it's a homogenizing balance that sacrifices detail. Finish (neat): Medium/long. Gritty cereal, malt, and mild smoke fading into a resinous aftertaste. Finish (reduced): Long. Smoke is more apparent, but a tart, almost bitter note surfaces and persists into the aftertaste. The resinous wood quality is significantly reduced. I was eagerly anticipating this highly regarded and rated whisky, having received a sample generously provided by a friend. Normally, I begin with samples at the most accessible level, but in this instance, I had to dive in directly. I divided the sample into two portions: one tasted neat and the other with just a few drops of water. Both were tasted over an extended period to observe how each responded to time in the glass. The nose and finish are considerably improved by dilution, but the palate does not fare as well. This whisky is a bit particular with water, but I would still suggest just a few drops. It is certainly an interesting whisky, and from the outset, it seemed both un-Scottish and unlike most other Australian whiskies. Full disclosure, I am not a great admirer of this distillery, and only one of their expressions has truly impressed me, the Director's Cut from a few years ago (muscat cask matured, I believe). This Darkest Night is certainly the closest in quality I have tasted to that, but it possesses a different flavor profile. I would not describe this as a complex whisky. It has some excellent aspects but presents as an arrangement of a few very pleasant features rather than an extensive range of aromas and flavors, which suggests its relative youth. I would be keen to taste this if they could age it in a cool warehouse for another 10 years. Tasted from a 30ml sample "Good": 84/100 (3.75 stars)

Vanilla finish. Strong beginning.