Timboon Distillery The Golden Trifecta Whisky
This limited run of 230 bottles from Timboon was matured in a combination of ex-tawny, ex-apera and ex-muscat casks, all European oak, dialling the Australian fortified influence up to 11. Dripping with golden treacle, Christmas pudding and muscatel grapes, there's also just a hint of old newspaper on the nose. There's plenty of power in the spirit here, but this whisky is all about those big, sweet wines and they play nicely together despite all having a lot to say. The spirit itself is oily, nutty, rustic, and has plenty of bite to match its bark. Subtle this ain't. The finish is long and grippy, potentially a little hot for a mild 46% abv, but this is about as classic as an Aussie whisky gets, reminiscent of many small distilleries around the country that really lean into this style. I like to think of whiskies like this as the spiritous version of old-school Barossa Shiraz: big, bombastic, easy to identify and delicious to drink. At $195 for a 500ml bottle, it's not cheap, but this is a style that a lot of Aussies love, and it's easy to see why.
