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.
Located on the Mornington Peninsula, roughly an hour’s drive from Melbourne’s CBD, Chief’s Son was established by Stuart and Naomi McIntosh in 2013, although they embarked on three years of trialling and experimenting until they distilled their first commercial batch of spirit. The name itself is a great story: McIntosh, in Scottish Gaelic, is Mhic an Tòisich, meaning “Son of the Chief”.
Chief’s Son is a small batch operation and is very much “hand-crafted”. The distillery uses a single still (an impressive, electrically-heated 4,000L pot still from the increasingly influential and in-demand Burns Fabrication team at Griffith, NSW), which means they literally have to jump in and clean out the still between the wash run and spirit run!
The distillery takes an innovative approach to whisky making and they go about their business a little differently to most other Aussie distillers. For starters, rather than relying on a single variety of malt, they in fact utilise a number of different malt types beyond just the traditional distillers’ malt. The distillery produces a number of different styles of whisky, and each style has its own unique malt recipe – drawing on different combinations and proportions of crystal malt, pale malt, chocolate malt, and even peated malt.
The distillery thus has an impressive range of different expressions to choose from, boasting a core range, in addition to other limited release or single cask bottlings. The flagship in the core range is the 900 Standard – available in both 45% and 60% ABV expressions. 900 Standard is notable for being the product of multiple casks being vatted together – thus achieving a consistency and reliable house style, rather than being at the mercy of a single cask’s variability. The 900 Standard is matured in French oak casks that previously held fortified wines.
The excitement this month, however, is the release of The Tanist – a new addition to the core-range, albeit limited to a production of 3,500 bottles annually. In Scottish clans, the tanist was the heir to the chief and second in command of the family. The inspiration behind The Tanist was to create a whisky of broad appeal that would please both the novice and the connoisseur. The malt bill uses a speciality pale malt and a small percentage of peated malt. It is matured in both ex-fortified French oak casks and American oak ex-bourbon barrels and draws upon a marriage of casks aged between two and five years. Bottled at 43% and retailing for just $115 for a 700ml bottle, it is certainly an appealing prospect. In fact, the distillery makes no bones about it: They want it to be a disruptive release that serves to put good Aussie whisky in front of more people at an affordable price point.
So what’s it actually like? Whisky & Wisdom sat down with a sample of The Tanist and put it through its paces. Here are our thoughts:
Nose: Instantly identifiable as Australian, with resin, eucalyptus and oak in the top notes, there’s then a second tier of unusually sweet fruits, bordering into the realm of preserves and jams. (Particularly plum jam). Finally, bringing up the rear, comes chewy toffee, merging into caramel. The casks’ ex-fortified heritage is never too far from the action, but it’s an apera note shaped by French oak, rather than the distinctive oloroso sherry one might associate with, say, a heavily sherried Scottish malt matured in Spanish or American oak.
Palate: The liquid is silky in texture and glides over your tongue at 43%. The sweet barley holds centre stage and has not been overwhelmed by the apera. There are hints of manuka honey and very soft vanilla (vanilla bean pod, to be precise). Sweet stewed fruits round out the experience.
Finish: The peated malt leaves its footprint at the tail of the finish, giving a late impression of dark chocolate and burned toffee. It remains chiefly sweet, although with some drying tannins at the end.
Comments: Definitely a dram for those with a sweet tooth, the dram delivers a complex combination that displays malt, oak, fruit, loads of sweetness, fortified wine, and several branches of the vanilla family, (i.e. vanilla, caramel, and chocolate). For those that like the more oak-driven Australian style of whisky, this will appeal to many. If I’m honest, the tannins are just manageable, but they run close to the tipping point, particularly if you sit down for a prolonged session with a bottle. No doubt the distillery can monitor this carefully and manage their casks and maturation regimen moving forward to keep it in check.
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The Tanist is now available from a select number of independent stockists, or you can order online from the distillery’s own website at https://www.chiefsson.com.au/ Grab it while you can.
Cheers,
AD
PS: Confused about tannins in whisky? You might find this article interesting…
PPS: You also might like our article, “The challenges of starting a new whisky brand“.
