Pōkeno Origin (The Whisky Club Edition)

Last night, a new whisky from New Zealand was sampled; it was decidedly average at best. A bottle from a new New Zealand distillery has been on my shelf for months, an exclusive bottling at that. A recent review of the same spirit was posted by a peer. Now it's my turn. What exactly is this spirit? Reportedly, it's made with 'local barley, pristine spring water from the volcanic hills surrounding the distillery… created in American oak from heavily toasted ex-bourbon white oak barrels'. This specific bottling is from approximately half of the initial release stock from Pokeno, bottled at 46% ABV for Australia's Whisky Club, distinct from the 43% version available elsewhere. Having seen notes from a peer, I allowed this to rest for 20 minutes before tasting. Nose: Bright, invigorating, and summery. Notes of white fruits, vanilla, and white chocolate, with a touch of fresh wood and the faintest honey. No sign of young alcohol burn, and with time, a pleasant maltiness emerges. Simple, clean, crisp. Palate: Wow. A peer was spot on; this is like a seltzer. The initial impression is effervescent fizz. White chocolate is very noticeable, as are melon and pear. The fizz is hard to overlook. The malt character comes through as buttered brioche or milk biscuits. A fair amount of aggressive heat develops, but it's manageable. Finish: Medium-short. Tannic with noticeable malt and honey. Barrel spice has intensified significantly by this point. This is unusual. The nose is its strongest aspect, light, summery, and effortlessly yet delicately enjoyable. That part is good. Then it becomes strange; whisky shouldn't taste like fizzy sherbet or a carbonated seltzer. What is happening here? The palate would likely be perfectly acceptable if not for that characteristic. Over time, the increasing wood presence and tannic spice reveal a likely young spirit with some rather harsh alcohol in the background. In summary, it's acceptable. It likely falls in the same category as the widely available Glenfiddich 12. Monkey Shoulder offers superior character and value. Am I regretting buying two bottles? A little. Perhaps a collector will be interested in acquiring the second at auction someday; I certainly won't be opening it.

Smell: Offers notes of pear, unripe apple, coconut shreds, unfermented beer mash, a vegetal herbal scent, and a whisper of mango. Taste: Begins with a semi-sweet grain flavor with a pleasant dry spice characteristic. The middle then becomes strangely effervescent, nearly bubbly, which is quite uncommon. As this fizzy sensation subsides, hints of fruit, molasses, and grain mash appear, leading to a finish reminiscent of a fruit beer. The texture is pleasing, with a very subtle creamy/oily feel. Aftertaste: Lingers briefly. Dominated by grain and mild fruit notes, fading into a bitter, ale-like taste. The peculiar tingling sensation from the palate carries through. This expression is one of the initial offerings from the distillery, a standard bottling usually at 43%. This particular version was a limited run for a club at 46%, but based on official tasting notes for the regular edition, the character seems very similar. The aroma is quite nice and more typical of a Scotch malt than other New Zealand whiskies previously encountered. It hints at fruit, grain, and a touch of honey, comparable to a beginner Glen Grant. The scent profile is firmly centered on malt, without any wine or smoke undertones. Conversely, the taste is more unique, and I can't say I'm overly impressed. It's exceptionally fizzy, to an extent never experienced before in a malted barley whisky. This isn't merely the taste of young spirit, or a poorly managed distillation cut, nor simply the presence of oak spice. It's almost as if a tiny bit of baking soda was added (seriously!). Adding water expands the aroma and slightly mellows the palate, but the overall profile remains largely unchanged. I agree with the official assessment that this is worth trying out of sheer curiosity, but I wouldn't invest time or money seeking it out. I'll be mixing this with Coke or ginger ale, thank you. "Average": 78/100 (2.75 stars) ---------------------------------- Update - April 27, 2023 The bottle has been open for a couple of weeks and has shown improvement. The contents (which stopped being protected by argon gas a week ago) and the separate sample are now quite similar in character. Both have been tried neat, on ice, with soda, and with Coke. Whether this is due to the whisky maturing and oxidizing, or my palate adapting, I'm unsure – likely a combination. Based on the whisky in its current state, I'm increasing the initial rating by a quarter point, but I won't be purchasing another bottle. "Above Average": 80/100 (3 stars)