Highwayman – A man on a horse, carrying a gun, who holds up and robs travellers on public roads. Highwayman Whisky – an altogether different beast, as we shall see…
The “next wave” of Australian craft distilleries is washing across the nation at present, with the last six months seeing a large number of new names bring their debut releases to the market. Most of those distilleries have taken the “traditional” route by setting up, distilling, and waiting patiently for their spirit to mature. Others, as Whisky & Wisdom has written about previously, have adopted the strategy of purchasing spirit distilled elsewhere and then selling it under their own brand/label to establish their name whilst they wait for their own distilled spirit to mature. They effectively operate as independent bottlers, until such time as the spirit they’ve made themselves is ready to launch.
Highwayman is one such distillery and operation. Effectively established in 2018 by Dan Woolley, Highwayman is based in Byron Bay, adding to the rapidly growing number of distilleries in New South Wales. Dan’s name is known to most Australian whisky enthusiasts, having worked tirelessly for many years as the brand ambassador for the Beam/Suntory portfolio in Australia, most notably with Laphroaig. What many people weren’t aware of is that, during this time, Woolley would spend his holidays and time off working voluntarily at numerous distilleries in Scotland, the USA, Japan, and Australia, learning the art and craft of distillation. Highwayman is thus the realisation of a long-term dream, in more ways than one.
As the number of fledgling whisky distilleries around Australia grows, an increasing number are now starting to release their whisky and bring it to market. In fact, as at August 2020, the number of distilleries selling their legal, matured whisky is apparently 48!
What is increasingly exciting, at least in the eyes of this observer, is seeing the number of mainland distilleries establish themselves in the various states. Our industry has never (yet) been large enough, sustained enough, or consistent enough for concepts such as regionality or terroir to be considered. It would be interesting if Victorian distilleries had a certain, common style that was unique and identifiably distinct from, say, WA or NSW – but perhaps that’s just a romantic notion tethered to the sentimentality of a Scotch fan who still appreciates a Lowlander being distinct from a Speysider and an Islay….
With that as a backdrop, Aussie whisky fans have rejoiced in seeing a number of distilleries establish themselves in Victoria. For so long the sole domain of Bakery Hill, there are now other players in the state, and one such player planting an increasingly visible foothold is Chief’s Son.
The Milk & Honey Distillery in Tel Aviv, Israel, is one of the latest distilleries amongst the so-called “new world” bunch to put its head above the parapet and call attention to itself. Like its colleagues in Taiwan, India, and even the likes of Australia, it’s a distillery in a hot climate country that is bending the barley to the beat of its own drum.
Milk & Honey was founded in 2012 and – again, like Kavalan in Taiwan – was shaped by the late Dr Jim Swan. One of Swan’s hallmarks was developing processes, systems, and strategies that typically bring whisky to maturation and market earlier than traditional methodologies, and Milk & Honey has benefitted accordingly.
With new local distilleries or independent bottlers/releases launching and popping up all over Australia, it’s easy to overlook some of the long-time brands that have been waving the flag all along. But you overlook these at your peril – particularly when one of those distilleries brings along something that truly hits great heights.
Bakery Hill is one such distillery. Established in 1999, it is one of the oldest of the current crop of Australian distilleries, and – as we explored in this article previously – it’s a quiet achiever that lets its whiskies do the talking. You’ll not see or hear much from them on social media, even as they steadily and consistently win awards and accolades from around the world. But your tastebuds should tune in to what they’re doing.
One of Bakery Hill’s great appeals is its consistency of product. Whilst several distilleries still lurch from good to poor to spectacular to mediocre with each successive single cask release, Bakery Hill has been around long enough to find its operating and procedural “sweet spot” and they stick to it. It has a core range of products that both impress and deliver – case in point, their Peated Malt Cask Strength was awarded “Southern Hemisphere Whisky of the Year” in Jim Murray’s 2020 Bible. No mean feat.
So with such bona fides established, it’s exciting when they then bring along something new to the table. And delicious to boot. Bakery Hill’s “The Blunderbuss” is one such whisky, and its story is worth telling….
Once upon a time if you wanted a good night out with whisky and food, you were obliged to hit up two separate venues. You’d head to a restaurant for a quality feed, then migrate to a specialist whisky bar for some memorable drams. Happily, there are venues around these days that can readily do both – and do both well. Mjolner is one such destination. There’s a Mjolner in both Sydney and Melbourne now, but for this little piece, we’ll focus on the Sydney venue.
Part of the Speakeasy Group (well known for its bars like Eau-de-Vie and Boilermaker House), Mjolner is on Cleveland Street in Surry Hills/Redfern – just a block from the sector made famous for all its Lebanese restaurants, and a short walk from Central Station. In keeping with many bar trends these days, there’s no street presence or signage, and access is via a small, unremarkable door. However, walk through the door and you descend down into a dark dungeon of drinks, drams, décor, and decadence.
Mjolner is a themed venue, and it’s Viking all the way. (For the uninitiated, Mjolner is the name of Thor’s hammer). A Nordic-inspired food menu, Norse mythology, and Viking furnishings and decorations ooze out of every nook and cranny.
Whilst the bar has an impressive array of staples, cocktails, and curios, it’s the whiskies that you come for. And there’s some genuine attractions that are worth crossing town for. (A Macallan 18yo 1979 Gran Reserva – one of the greatest Macallans from its glory years – being a good example, albeit at $500 for a dram!) Very shortly, the Speakeasy Group venues will each be launching new customised apps that make researching and ordering your whisky an incredibly immersive experience – W&W had a sneak peek at the Mjolner app, and they’ve pulled off the kind of functionality and features that we were all dreaming of five years ago.
Unsure about cutlery etiquette? Just choose your weapon. (Image courtesy of venue)
Adjourning to the dining tables, don’t come without your appetite – when they say Viking feast, the emphasis is on feast. You won’t leave hungry. As part of the theatre, you’ll be required to “choose your weapon” for your meal, selecting your knife from a leather roll of assorted blades. The entrées, mains and sides are all mouthwatering, tasty, and well-presented. Beast, fowl, seafood, or veg, there’s something for everyone, but it’s a menu that’s better suited to larger groups of four or more and sharing the dishes. The food, whilst delicious and plentiful, is admittedly not cheap.
The pork was a highlight.
There’s something for pescatarians.
The meats are succulent and mouthwatering. (Image courtesy of the venue)
The roasted marrow is worth crossing town for. (Image courtesy of the venue)
Given the Viking theme, it’s no surprise that the venue has partnered heavily with Highland Park, and there’s a good range of Orkney malts to choose from. Most impressively, the venue recently concocted its own bespoke bottling of Mjolner Highland Park. Taken from a mix of 1st-fill and refill sherry casks (both European and American oak), it resulted in 1,731 bottles of Mjolner-labelled 14yo at 56.5%. Presented to you in its own Viking longboat, it’s a Highland Park that has a lot more going for it than the bulk of the core-range expressions available at the moment: A good infusion of that classic, heather-honey peat; a good dose of sherry; some spicy and herbal malt; and all delivered at a worthy ABV.
Presented to you in its own Viking longboat, the Mjolner Highland Park is a genuinely good whisky.
For more on Highland Park and its current range of Viking-inspired whiskies, you can read Whisky & Wisdom’s feature piece, Highland Park – the Vikings are coming.
The bar at Mjolner is the work of Alex Dahlenburg (including the bespoke bottling), and she’s excelled herself with the concept, the stock, and the delivery. Little surprise that she was suitably recognised at the recent Australian Icons of Whisky 2020 awards, picking up Bartender of the Year – followed shortly afterwards with Bar Manager of the Year at the Australian Liquor Industry Awards. Never one to rest on her laurels, there’s another role for her in the pipeline, but we’ll save that news for the public unveiling.
In the meantime, for those wanting a whisky bar that’s on the fringe of the CBD rather than in the hustle-and-bustle of it all, Mjolner is worth a visit. May Odin reward your tastebuds accordingly.
There’s a lot of noise and activity in the Australian whisky scene at the moment – most of it to do with new distilleries being established or newer distilleries releasing their first matured spirit. Or, frequently, you’ll hear about some Aussie whisky collecting an award at an international spirits competition. Meanwhile, some distilleries are simply getting on with making good whisky. Bakery Hill is one such distillery. Not the most vocal brand on social media, Bakery Hill is happy to let its whiskies do the talking. And talk, they do. Continue reading “Bakery Hill – the view from the top”
Craigellachie is – or perhaps was – one of Speyside’s great little secrets. A wonderful distillery that sits unabashedly beside the main road running through the Craigellachie village, its whiskies have been well known and admired by whisky connoisseurs for many years. However, it seems it’s time for Craigellachie’s malt to be appreciated by a bigger and wider fan club.
Craigellachie is making a bit of noise right now with the global release of its 51yo – a whisky that will be far more accessible than you might at first think, but more about that in a moment. In the meantime, let’s set the scene… Continue reading “Craigellachie – the whisky and the distillery”
The resurgence – indeed, resurrection – of the Irish whiskey industry continues to gather momentum, and one of the newer (and certainly more vocal and visible) players in the scene took another exciting step earlier this year when the Teeling Whiskey 24 yo won the industry’s most highly coveted gong. With focus again concentrating on the spirit coming out of the Emerald Isle, it’s a good time for fans of Irish whiskey as Teeling releases three new expressions into the Australian market. Continue reading “Teeling Whiskey – Three limited edition gems for Australia”
The news and noise associated with the explosion and proliferation of new Australian distilleries popping up everywhere tends to focus on Tasmania. New distilleries on the mainland probably feel they have to make a bit more noise for their heads to be noticed above the parapet. (I say “new” distilleries but, of course, by the time most consumers hear about or experience the product from a new distillery, the venture has been up and running for at least a couple of years). Which makes it all the more impressive and endearing when a distillery just quietly goes about its business and lets others do the talking for them. Joadja is one such distillery.
There’s been no shortage of chatter about Australian whisky in recent months. To be fair, Whisky & Wisdom may inadvertently have triggered some of that, courtesy of this article, but if you read the comments and sentiments expressed across the Australian whisky community – particularly on the Facebook groups – there’s an undercurrent of caution about Australian whisky releases and the complex relationship between age, price, provenance, quality, cask-type, bottle size (i.e. 500ml vs 700ml) and availability. Thank goodness, then, that there are still some positive constants and consistencies that can be relied upon. I refer, in particular, to TIB – Tasmanian Independent Bottlers – and this was brought home (again) this week whilst tasting one of its latest releases: Old Kempton Distillery (Redlands Release No. 8, Cask TIB RD0012).
