Archie Rose Distilling Co. has released its latest whisky offering with the launch of the first in a new four-part Smoked Cask Series – Wattleseed Smoked Cask Single Malt Whisky.
This new limited-edition expression explores a novel technique, where the casks themselves, rather than the grain, are gently smoked with some of nature's most iconic botanicals.
The Smoked Cask Series comprises four single malt whiskies, matured in casks carefully smoked with a different botanical, each imparting its own unique character into the whisky.
For this debut release, Archie Rose worked closely with one of Australia’s most respected coopers to smoke empty whisky casks with native wattleseed, before filling them with Archie Rose’s award-winning Single Malt Whisky. The result is a rich, complex whisky that carries the warm, nostalgic notes of campfire bacon, roasted macadamia and caramel fudge and a discreet smoke profile.
Archie Rose master distiller, Dave Withers, said Australia is fortunate to be unbound by tradition, having the freedom to be bold and find new ways of doing things.
“This series is all about reimagining what a smoked whisky can be, questioning why the flavour of smoke can only come from the treatment of grains,” said Withers.
“We wanted to tackle the question of whether we could bring a different dimension to our whisky by smoking the maturation casks instead. It’s also about testing the boundaries of where that smoke comes from.”
This unique production method demanded precision and patience. Each botanical had to be carefully smoked to release aroma without burning, so its delicate character could be absorbed by the timber, a process that required extensive trials and collaboration.
“There's something romantic about using wattleseed to smoke our whisky maturation casks in the Australian context,” said Withers.
“Wattle seeds need fire to germinate, so in burning this uniquely Australian ingredient to smoke our whisky casks, we're giving life to a whole new layer of flavour, and a whole new style of Australian single malt whisky.”
The result is a truly distinctive whisky, with the Wattleseed Smoked Cask Single Malt Whisky delivering a bold yet balanced profile, a long and evolving finish of biscuit, roasted nuts, fruit and smokey bacon.
With three more uniquely smoked cask expressions to be unveiled over the coming months, this limited-edition series offers a rare opportunity for whisky lovers and collectors to follow the journey and experience the full expression of native Australian botanicals.
Wattleseed Smoked Cask Single Malt Whisky is now available online at archierose.com.au and at the Archie Rose Bar & Cellar Door for RRP $219.
