Bakery Hill Peated Cask Strength (59.5%ABV cask 6709)

[borgom]

With water to approx 43%
Colour: Amber with an orange hue.
Nose: Zesty. Clean and natural notes of orange and lemon. Underneath there's a mild chocolaty peat that reminds me of the HB Springbank 11 Port wood. With a little time the nose develops further offering some fragrant floral tones and vanilla.
Palate: Somewhat oily. Flavours of very mild coffee with some pepper, spice and balancing citrus.
Finish: Long. Tangy citrus gives way to creamy light chocolate and mild coffee.

Neat
Nose: Hot chocolate and weak milky coffee. There are some balancing floral and citrus notes. Very aromatic.
Palate: Again a little oily with coffee and citrus notes. There's also some heat and something vaguely reminiscent of Turkish delight.
Finish: Long and lingering. The peat is earthy but somehow clean. Again vanilla, chocolate and coffee flavours linger on.

Comments
One of the few whiskies I prefer with a generous amount of water.
By far the best Australian whisky I’ve tasted and the only one I’m excited enough about to explore further and purchase again. The surprisingly delicate style and peating contradicts the youth of the whisky - the heat on the neat palate being the only give away. It's like a lowlander in the early teens combined with some light Campbelltown peat. The fact that I’m mentally comparing it to the likes of Rosebank and Springbank says it all.
And to think I may not have purchased it at all if not for the Australasian August Online Tasting!