Old Kempton Ex-Port Cask Single Malt Whisky 500ml

Old Kempton Ex-Port Cask Single Malt Whisky is a Tasmanian single malt aged in old Australian Tawny casks.

Everything in the Classic Range is made in very small batches, often in smaller wood, and this one leans on casks from Seppeltsfield and Yalumba that previously held Tawny averaging 30 to 40 years of age. Shaving depth depends on how old each barrel is, the older the cask the deeper the cut, while toast stays medium and char stays heavy. Barley for the wash is grown and malted at Cambridge, a short drive away, with Rob Tyson working alongside the brewer from the start so it arrives built to spec. Double distillation follows in the squat, Hobart-built Knapp Lewer copper stills, then five to six years in cask.

Christmas pudding, more or less: raisin in profusion, buttered grain, toasted almond, cacao nib and a lactic edge. Soft oak tannin arrives late, with dark chocolate and coffee grounds. Neat, at room temperature, after a meal. It also makes a serious Manhattan.