Limeburners Port Cask Cask Strength

Re-tasted, August 30, 2025 Limeburners has a dedicated fanbase in Australia, but their whiskies rarely appeal to me. They certainly produce well-crafted, distinctive spirits, but there's something about the cask treatment that seems unusual. Many Australian whiskies exhibit a woody, resinous smell and taste indicative of youth, but I notice this particularly in Limeburners. Enjoying their whiskies always feels like a chore, and I consistently feel the need to drink something else I know I'll enjoy afterward. So, no changes from the previous review. The same comments, the same rating, and for me, it just barely achieves a score of 83/100. ---------------------------------------------------------- Original review: November 1, 2024 Nose (neat): Fortified wine, pipe tobacco, balsa wood, raisins, figs, cloves, nutmeg. There's a strong ethanol presence and an earthy quality, but young resinous wood aromas tend to dominate everything else. Nose (reduced): Berry notes, the wine aroma is sweeter, the dark fruits are richer, and the resinous wood aroma is lessened. Adding water improves it. Palate (neat): A powerful, sweet, and hot tannic arrival with raisins, dates, and burnt molasses. Significant chewing tobacco notes appear as it develops, along with dark fruitcake, but it has a sourness like it's been overcooked. Palate (reduced): Sweeter, the intense alcohol is toned down, and the burnt fruitcake note diminishes somewhat, but it's still noticeable. The diluted palate is more enjoyable. It doesn't gain complexity but achieves better balance. Finish: Moderate. Toffee and sour apples fading into an acidic cola. When water is added, the palate extends and becomes slightly sweeter. This is the second of the high-proof Limeburners whiskies I recently obtained as tasting samples. As with every Limeburners expression I've tried so far, there's a strong presence of young, resinous wood, akin to a mix of balsa and pine. This is overwhelming in some bottlings but less intrusive in others, like this one. I'm unsure if it's the specific casks used, the climate, or the distillate itself that creates this woody characteristic, but I'm not a fan. However, adding a splash of water definitely improved this dram. The nose became more integrated, and the intrusive woody quality receded considerably. The palate was similarly enhanced, with the fruitcake, molasses, and tobacco notes harmonizing and softening. Allowing the diluted dram to sit in the glass for a while improves it further. When tasted neat, I was considering a score of 79/100 for this whisky, but after adding a generous dash of water, the rating is increasing to 83. This is the second-best Limeburners whisky I've tasted so far, but in my opinion, dilution is essential. “Good”: 83/100 (3.5 stars)