Backwoods Single Malt – Distiller’s Cask #1
Australian Single Malt Whisky
46%
ABV
The Distillery
Backwoods Distilling Co is located in the Victorian high country in Yackandandah. They are a small craft distillery run by Leigh and Bree Attwood, a family run business that was founded in 2017. They have quickly gained attention in Australia due to the unique and delicious whisky they are producing. They source everything in their whisky making process locally and try to keep everything involved Australian, from the Voyager malt grains to the hand selected barrels from the Australian whisky and wine industries.
They aren’t afraid to experiment with some unique finishes and approaches, exemplified by their Red Gum cask whisky, something truly unique.
I have personally had some fantastic interactions with Bree and she has shown to be a class act as a business owner and as a person. I will continue to keep a close eye on their new releases as the handful of bottles i have from them already are quickly becoming some of my favourites both in the Rye and Single Malt categories.
This is the first release in a special series, a single cask, hand selected by Backwoods distiller Leigh Attwood. Using a mash bill of 100% Australian farmed and malted barley (3 varieties) from the Riverina region, this whisky was then matured in a unique cask that started as a bourbon cask, was then used for Scotch whisky, before landing in Barossa an being filled with Shiraz.
Bottled on the 14th of July 2021.
The Region
Victoria, Australia
The Whisky Review
Nose 5/5
Toffee apple, Anzac biscuits, brown sugar, earthy, plum skins, oak, custard tart. Opens up to captivating deep red fruits and crisp sugar with some time to breathe.
Palate 5/5
Great creamy mouthfeel, caramel, earthy malt, vanilla, cinnamon, oak spices, freshly buttered brown bread, strawberry jam. No burn or roughness, drinks superbly.
Finish 4.5/5
Long finish, burnt cookies, toffee apple, malty, earthy vanilla, creme brulee, mocha, weetbix with raw sugar. Juicy fruit gum comes in late and adds complexity.
The Verdict
Wow just wow. I fell in love with this whisky and that love deepened further with every dram, the photo was taken a bit before i had time to post this review and unfortunately the bottle is sadly empty now.
A complex and incredible nose that changes every time I go back to it and keeps drawing me in, I could live in this glass. A satisfying earthy note is the backbone of this whisky and is first evident in the nose, well balanced by the sweet and biscuity notes, with earthiness carrying through the palate and finish, but changing up its supporting cast as it goes. It’s just such an incredibly satisfying dram and it “hits the spot” everytime.
My most reluctant bottle kill to date and i really wish i grabbed 2 of these when i had the chance, it’s right up there as one of my favourite bottles i’ve owned to date.
The Price
Retailing at $145 AUD, being a special release available exclusively at the Distiller’s Door. There were only approx 200 bottles in the release so its unlikely that any are left at retail and will need to be found on secondary markets.
Originally Available at:
Recent Reviews
1st Place – 2021 MUWC
