Lazy Daze is the lighter bottle on the left in the picture above and, by Iniquity’s standards, it’s a lighter whisky in style. The whisky is chiefly spirit from a 1st fill, ex-bourbon cask (from Heaven Hill, no less) but tweaked with some Shiraz cask-matured and smoky whisky. It exhibits a wonderful fruitiness on both the nose and the palate – think apricots, peaches, perhaps even mango. Being primarily ex-bourbon cask, the spirit is allowed to shine, and it’s certainly a whisky that is not weighed down by tannins or heavy wine notes. That said, it’s been superbly matured, and the contribution of the American oak is “just right”. The distillery bills it as a “summer dram”, and it’s hard to argue with that – it’s tasty and refreshing.
In fact, it’s so refreshing, it performs remarkably well with some mixers. Whilst the dram more than stands up on its own two feet, it’s also sensational when poured over ice and topped up with lemonade, with a dash or three of orange bitters added for good measure. Try this instead of your usual G&T!
There’s one more remarkable thing about Lazy Daze: Incredibly, it’s $99 for a 700ml bottle, making it just the second Australian single malt to sneak in under the $100 mark. Excellent bang for your buck, and a great summer dram.
The second, darker whisky on the right in the photo above is the exceptional Iniquity Gold – arguably one of the best Australian single malts, and certainly an all-time favourite here at Whisky & Wisdom. The latest and current release is Batch 007 – an American oak ex-port cask that’s been teaspooned with a wee bit of ex-shiraz cask whisky and some peated cask whisky. At five years old, it’s thick with a compelling melding of flavours from the cereal, the spirit, the wine, and the oak. Sweet and juicy, it’s dessert in a glass…I’m still deciding whether it’s perfect out of the bottle at 56%, or whether a few drops of water lifts this one even higher? Batch 007 of Iniquity Gold retails at $280 for a 700ml bottle.
Both are available at the distillery’s website here (you’ll find the Lazy Daze in the Den’s Dram section, whilst stocks last), and if you want the background story on the distillery, you’ll find the full write-up Whisky & Wisdom did in 2021 here.
That’s our executive summary. If you’d like our detailed tasting notes on each whisky, we’ve presented them below.
Cheers,
AD
{Update, February 2023: More good news for Iniquity, with the distillery taking out the overall Category Winner award for Best Single Cask Single Malt (No Age Statement) at the 2023 World Whiskies Awards. Well done, Ian and team!}
Iniquity Lazy Daze, 40% ABV
Nose: If you’re curious for the answer to the question, “What aromas do American oak ex-bourbon casks impart to whisky?” you could two things: You could either look up any textbook on Scotch whisky, or simply nose a glass of Lazy Daze! All those classic aromas are here: Tropical fruits, pineapple, tinned peaches and apricots in syrup, and even a touch of coconut. And, happily, there’s a subtle hint of oak.
Palate: At 40% ABV, the whisky is incredibly soft and approachable. It’s again sweet, and those tinned apricots add fruit and a bit of zest to the picture. There’s a soft creaminess to the flavours on offer, and that creaminess dovetails nicely with trickle of citrus that comes through in the form of a (subtle) lemon meringue pie.
Finish: The perfect whisper of oak follows through on the tail, leaving a superb dryness that perfectly complements the sweetness. One of the more harmonious finishes you’ll encounter.
Iniquity Gold Series – Batch 007, 56% ABV
Nose: Those “classic” Iniquity Gold Series hallmarks are here: There’s rich toffee, caramel, maybe even Banoffee Pie….but before it gets too cloying or overwhelming, it’s counterbalanced with stewed fruits, e.g. rhubarb and caramelised pears, and some healthy port-cask maturation elements. There’s a subtle and pleasing oakiness that plays backdrop to it all, perhaps Huon pine or even sandalwood.
Palate: South Australian distilleries have to be very careful keeping their spirit in ex-fortified casks for five years, but Tin Shed seems to have mastered it. Yes, there’s oak and a touch of dryness on the palate, but it’s happily kept in check (and cheek!) and they’ve superbly managed the wine…there’s fruit and spice, but without too much tannin. Boozy soaked fruits, dates, butter and sage, and hints of dark chocolate round out the palate.
Finish: The balance between sweet and dry is impressively maintained, leaving a toastiness and warmth on the palate that doesn’t turn bitter, but neither seems saccharine. It’s a long finish, leaving you satisfied for some time, and a healthy dram of this would keep you company for quite some time of an evening. Maybe pair it with your favourite movie and settle back…
