Thursday 9 August 2012

State of Origin: The Double Cask!



Sullivan's Cove Double Cask Whisky

 

Whisky: Sullivan's Cove Double Cask

 

Distiller:

Sullivan's Cove

 

Bottle:

Sullivan's Cove Double Cask

Region:
Australian

ABV:

40%

 

Colour:

Full Gold

 

Review:

This is the last review in the series for the State of Origins Australian whisky tastings that I'll be writing unless I'm able to pick up a bottle of Limeburners M58 which was my favorite whisky in the tasting line up.

My wife, brother and sister in law had tasted quite a few different whiskies at the State of Origin, sadly many of them had left us disappointed.

We'd tried Bakery Hill Classic Malt, Southern Coast Distillers Batch 5, Lark Single Barrel and now Sullivan's Cove Double Cask.

As we sit there nosing the whisky I'm still talking to Cameron, the owner and head distiller at Limeburners.

After this review I'll be posting the interview with him.  I hope to be able to snag the M58 which he brought as a special treat.   We wound up trying two of his whiskies this night. The M80 which was the current release (which I've already reviewed) and then he surprised everyone with the M58 which was his newest peated whisky (which runs $250 or so a bottle)

But back to Sullivan's Cove.

As we nose the Sullivan's Cove everyone around the table glances at the person next to them, then to the person from across of them.

It's BORING!

The nose is strictly two aromas which we're informed comes from the American Oak and French Oak.

Vanilla and Cocoa.

That's it.

Vanilla from the American Oak.

Cocoa from the French Oak.

Nothing else.

Hopefully it'll taste better.

So we decide to taste.

Taste follows nose, exactly.

Vanilla and cocoa.

Again that's it.

Smooth, easygoing and boring.

The finish is again the same, vanilla highlights with cocoa at the end.

EPIC DISAPPOINTMENT!

I'd heard some very good things about Sullivan's Cove.  But everyone at the table was so disappointed and bored with this whisky.

Even worse a bottle of the Double Cask would normally run around $100 AUS.

Too much for a bottle like this.   Maybe if this had been at Cask Strength it'd be much better.  Not sure.

This isn't a bad whisky as in it tastes bad or unpleasant.  It's completely and utterly none offensive.

It'd actually be one of those whiskies I'd introduce someone who was new to straight spirits not taken in shot form to.  It wouldn't scare them.

However while it's busy not scaring the whisky newbies, my family has just fallen asleep.

I'll give Sullivan's Cove another shot, I always love trying new whiskies, but I won't buy a bottle of Sullivan's Cove until I know that the Double Cask was just a random fluke.



Nose:          17/25
Taste:        17/25
Finish:        17/25
Balance:     17/25

Overall:     68/100


P.S I've just talked to a couple of good whisky friends who have informed me that our experience with Sullivan's Cove has got to be either a bad bottle or a badly oxidized bottle as this whisky is SO much more then this.  New mission is to get my hands on a good bottle of Sullivan's Cove for review.  Please do not just take my experience on Sullivan's Cove Double Cask as the normal experience.  I'll keep you all informed once I have my hands on a new bottle!

2 comments:

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    Replies
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