As the eleventh release in the Trials & Exceptions series and the second in a two-part exploration that pays tribute to Australia’s majestic eucalypt trees, Archie Rose’s limited release Stringybark Smoked Single Malt Whisky represents a milestone in both its history and quest to source all seven malts from within NSW.
Following the release of the Red Gum Smoked Single Malt Whisky in early 2022, the first in the exploratory trial, the Stringybark Smoked Single Malt Whisky sets a benchmark for subsequent Archie Rose smoked whiskies.
Archie Rose have been ambitious to craft a quintessential smoked whisky, replacing Scottish peated malt with Australian wood smoked malt. The Stringybark Smoked Single Malt Whisky is crafted from a five-malt mash bill, including a local malt that has been roasted or smoked with wood from the native stringybark tree.
“This is a particularly exciting release for Archie Rose, as it represents a milestone not only in our own history, but also in how whisky has traditionally been made,” says founder, Will Edwards. “We always strive to re-define distilling traditions, putting innovation and sustainability at the forefront of everything we do, and this release really showcases those values and our goal to create truly Australian whiskies.”
Made possible by Archie Rose’s globally unique “individual malt stream” process, each malt in the mash bill is milled, mashed, fermented, distilled and matured separately, allowing the distilling team to tailor every step of the production process. Unlike typical whisky production, this allows for yeast selection, cask type and maturation conditions to be tailored to each specific malt.
Master Distiller, Dave Withers felt strongly about making an Australian whisky that felt distinctively Australian.
“Like all great whisky lovers, I have been forever fascinated by the flavour of smoke in whiskies. Using Scottish peated malt to make an Australian whisky seemed silly. The malt speaks of its origin in flavour and provenance. We felt it was really important to therefore reimagine what an Australian smoked whisky made with native Australian ingredients could look like. In essence we wanted to make a whisky with a distinctively Australian voice and flavour,” he said.
The result is an expression of intense and seductive tasting notes for the drinker, reminiscent of one of the great Australian scents: eucalyptus, smoked meats, and the beguiling flavours of campfire smoke on the tip of your tongue.
With only 2450 bottles in existence, Stringybark Smoked Single Malt Whisky launches via the Archie Rose website and the Cellar Door on Thursday, 6 October 2022.
Stringybark Smoked Single Malt Whisky: RRP $199.00
