New Zealand’s Scapegrace Distilling Co. has launched its award-winning salted caramel flavoured whisky, ThunderDonk, into the Australian market.
The brand takes its name from the satisfying sound a shot glass makes when it hits the bar after a moment worth celebrating. The company stated it’s a spirit that doesn’t take itself too seriously, designed for social occasions and drinkers who want quality without the formality that comes with traditional whisky.
The launch arrives at a significant moment for the category – flavoured whisky is projected to nearly double to US$19 billion by 2032 globally, and it's pulling in consumers well beyond the traditional whisky demographic.
Unlike most flavoured whiskies, which are built on young or neutral spirit, ThunderDonk Salted Caramel starts with aged New Zealand single malt, distilled at Scapegrace's purpose-built distillery on the banks of Lake Dunstan in Central Otago. The flavour profile – rich caramel, sea salt, soft vanilla finish – is designed to appeal to whisky drinkers as much as flavoured spirit consumers, expanding the category's reach rather than cannibalising existing whisky sales.
The product spent 18 months in development at Scapegrace, New Zealand's largest independent spirits company, whose gin and single malt whisky portfolio has earned consistent international recognition across more than 43 markets.
Scapegrace co-founder, Daniel McLaughlin, said most flavoured whiskies have a problem.
“Somewhere between the barrel and the bottle, the whisky disappears. We built this to fix that,” said McLaughlin.
“Aussies get that instinctively – they are a nation that takes their drink seriously but knows how to have a good time doing it. Bringing ThunderDonk here wasn’t a question of if, it was when.”
ThunderDonk Salted Caramel 700ml is now available nationwide at Dan Murphy's and select independent retailers, for RRP $59.99.
