Wolfburn Bibendum Bar

Wolfburn tasting event at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, May 30th 2019: Whisky #6 Nose: The distillery's characteristic fruity/floral notes are present but subdued, overshadowed by unappealing dark fruit aromas. There's also an off-putting scent like old, damp laundry. The sherry influence here is like an 'oloroso stain' – dark, woody, and stale. Palate: The initial taste veers unpleasantly towards dry sourness. What's happening here? A dry, dark fruity development turns into a confused mix of sherry and oak notes, with an unpleasant smell like burnt rubber tires. The texture is good, but the rest of the palate experience is simply muddled. Finish: Medium. Fruitiness fades, leaving a cereal aftertaste and a slightly bitter finish. Have you ever dried wet wool socks near a heater or fire for too long? That's the aroma of this whisky – a strong, damp woolliness, almost scorched, with a hint of sweaty feet. The cause? Sulphur, sulphur, sulphur... how many times must this be mentioned? I'm not especially sensitive to sulphur in whisky (a small amount is typical from most fermentations), but this is excessively so. Who thought this cask was a good idea? They must have had a terrible cold that day. I have to rate this as the first disappointing Wolfburn I've encountered. It was apparently a unique single cask bottling from Cask 131 (a 250-liter ex-oloroso hogshead) yielding 280 bottles. It was commissioned by Bibendum Bar in Sydney and is exclusive to them. While some attendees at the tasting enjoyed this, I wouldn't want another taste, let alone a bottle, especially at the asking price. In fact, I wouldn't even want a free dram, but hey – taste is subjective, so I suppose this will appeal to some. "Inferior": 69/100 (1.75 stars)