High West Barrel Select PX Sherry Finish Straight Whiskey (750ml) - Whiskey Hunt Australia Selection

Single malt Scotch drinkers will be familiar with this increasingly popular finishing that adds notes of dates, honey and chocolate to whisky: Pedro Ximenez (aka sweet sherry) is now catching on in America, and Whisky Hunt have landed a very nice example. Blended from 8-10 year old sourced whiskeys (both corn heavy), the combination spent its last ten months in an x-sherry barrel. It still tastes like Bourbon, but not quite as you know it. For a start, the nose is thicker, deeper and more layered than most bourbons - closer to a single malt - with dates and caramel over fresher mandarine peel and orange spice cake. The palate mirrors the aromas in a viscous entry; dates and light honey build, followed by drier notes of cinnamon and white pepper. Although the finish is less pronounced, it’s also more nuanced as cocoa and a little bitter peel enter to cap things off. This is well structured - the sherry adding depth and just a little extra sweetness, while the woody and spicy notes you expect from American whiskey remain intact. 156 bottles have been imported at 49.6% Alc./Vol. Tasted from a 30ml sample.

Notes from the importers... Nose: Aromas of apple, cacao nibs and maple syrup offer a sweet and balanced nose. Palate: Flavourful on the palate, with cherry woodsmoke, dates, baking spices and notes of black tea. Finish: Cherry, spices, dark chocolate. Derived Mashbill: 70% corn, 16% wheat, 14% malted barley (TN Whiskey from Tennessee Distilling); and 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley (from MGP).