Archie Rose Single Paddock Whisky Rye Malt Harvest 700ml 2018

Archie Rose Single Paddock Whisky Harvest 2018 is a rye malt whisky from Sydney’s Archie Rose, made with heritage rye from a single paddock that the Whytcross family farm at Wongabeena, near Barellan in NSW. No irrigation was used, even in the 2018 drought, and the whisky goes into the bottle unfiltered, at full cask strength: 61.6% ABV.

Buy Archie Rose Single Paddock Whisky Rye Malt Harvest 2018 Online in New Zealand

The idea behind the Harvest series is simple: trace a whisky back to one farm, one paddock and one growing season. The rye here is a landrace variety that has been grown around Barellan for more than 70 years. Archie Rose part-fermented the rye and then turned it into three different malts. One was kilned lightly, one kilned for longer to an amber shade, and one roasted dark like chocolate malt, and all three went into the mash with a pale La Trobe barley malt. A saison yeast finished the ferment, a strain more often used for Belgian farmhouse beer, which helps explain the fruity, floral side of the spirit. The whisky is unfiltered, and the distillery notes you may see small flakes of charcoal in the bottle.

Archie Rose’s own tasting notes:

Nose: Mandarin, yuzu and Anzac biscuit at first, opening to apple and pear, begonia flowers and huon pine, then toasted pecans, mulberry and caraway.

Palate: Nectarine, berries and ginger snaps, set against toasted grain, milk chocolate and oak.

Finish: Apple and pear, Anzac biscuits dipped in chocolate, and flowers.

At 61.6% ABV this needs a little care. Pour a small measure into a tulip glass, let it rest, then add water slowly, a little at a time, until the fruit and spice open up. Archie Rose also suggests a Single Paddock Manhattan: 45ml whisky, 15ml sweet vermouth and two dashes of Angostura bitters, stirred and served in a chilled coupette. Serve it beside dark chocolate, toasted nuts or a firm aged cheese. It is one for rye fans, collectors of Australian whisky and anyone who wants to taste the effect of a single farm and season.