[67.0%・2 Years Old・Distilled in 2013・Bottled in 2015・Official Bottling・Limited Release of 159 Bottles]
Nose:
Big musky aromas from the “Australian Sherry casks”, a dusty note that is a key signature note of early Black Gate releases. Dried flowers and poached fruits with toffee treacle and the quintessentially Australian diesel note.
Palate & Finish:
A full on treat, dark and syrupy with the brightness of sticky Christmas fruits shining through. Seasoned ginger and cranberries delivered in an astonishingly smooth manner for a whisky bottled at 67%. Hint of peanut butter to go with a wee amount of earthiness.
Butterscotch fudge and dark chocolate blocks in a satisfying finish.
Thoughts:
I wrote the following passage a couple of years ago about the 520s:
“.. I do honestly believe I can pinpoint the Oak Barrel launch of 520 as the point in time when Black Gate became more than just an amateur distillery in the general public’s eyes. Unlike a lot of their Aussie counterparts, the 520 is a drop that yields a complete delivery, a whisky that actually finishes rather than just falling off a cliff after the mid-palate. The 520 is a true winner in my eyes and I often refer it as the expression that propelled Black Gate to where they are now.”
Still sounds about right to me.
☆
-Nicholas
WhiskNick 