A Taste Test of Tasmanian whisky was always going to end in smiles, but this little-known distillery in its eponymous hometown of Hobart had us really grinning. Hobart Distillery’s Signature is a whisky that’s made to satisfy.
About Hobart Distillery
It’s amazing that Australia’s smallest state produces so many incredible whiskies, and Hobart Distillery is no exception. This family-owned a run distillery has been producing whisky since 2015.
Perhaps not as well-known as some other Tasmanian distilleries, Hobart was in fact one of the first dozen to get started on the island.
And now that Australian whisky is getting more attention, there’s little doubt that Hobart Distillery will be a name - and whisky - on everyone’s lips.
About the bottle
Everything about Hobart Distillery’s Signature is built to satisfy. The bottle is squat and heavy, the finish to the label luxurious, and the cork stopper and timber top make a pleasing ‘domp!’ as you open the bottle.
Each bottle has an individually marked sticker telling you which batch the whisky’s from, the unique bottle number from the batch (this one is bottle 160 of 275) and also when the whisky was bottled.
It’s these little touches that make all the difference.
The bottle also comes in a presentation tube that makes this whisky the perfect gift.
Grain and barrel
Using Tasmanian barley, Hobart Distillery age the majority of their spirits in ex-Bourbon American oak casks - the Signature included.
However, they do also finish some limited release whisky in other types of barrel like ex-fortified wine and beer casks, which allows this distillery to be traditional yet diverse and experimental at the same time.
Tasting notes
On the nose, there’s a cherry, toffee and floral oaky sweetness along with a rich raisin aroma.
The taste is delicate yet eloquent.
Flavours start with fresh apple and a little citrus that then builds to the back of the mouth with subtle savoury biscuit notes. The end is a long, almost creamy finish
A tingle on the lips is the only sign of the higher-than-normal ABV.
In fact each release of Signature tends to come out at a slightly different ABV ranging between 46% and 50%.
This is because the distillers prefer to gauge the taste and aroma of the whisky rather than stick to a number for the sake of it.
Serving suggestions
It would be a sin to drink this whisky with anything more than a careful dose of chilled water, though even that doesn’t seem necessary. The flavours are beautifully refined and balanced, and very little oil in the dram for the water to ‘open up’.
All this whisky needs is your best glass, your comfiest chair, and plenty of time to sit back, relax and enjoy.