Spring Bay Distillery Tawny Cask Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky

The dark, auburn hue of Spring Bay Tawny Cask is a shade that draws many a whisky drinker in; and while colour is certainly no indicator of quality, it’s still a thing of beauty. Much more aggressive on the nose than other samples from Spring Bay, there’s a musty, slightly astringest note of unsweetened chocolate that obscures the malt and richer fruits you’d expect from a tawny cask whisky. Plums stewed with star anise offer a more pleasant aroma, but it’s hard to find. Like other Spring Bay whiskies, the palate is light and dry, showing expert work on the stills, but overall this is lacking the rich fruit sweetness and fine tannin that lovers of tawny cask whisky will be looking for.

Fred Siggins