A radical, eccentric and never-to-be-repeated release combining ex-red wine and muscat barrels with alligator-char barriques.  This is the standout Australian distillery of the moment pushing traditional single malt in a genuinely new direction... nothing is being done like this anywhere else in Australian whisky. Primary maturation in 225L & 300L medium char & heavy char French & American oak barriques held South Australian Cabernet and Shiraz, followed by a spell in 6-20-year-old ex-liqueur Muscat casks. The final twist was a 'finishing' using Alligator char level red wine barriques, roasted over open fire (yes, Morris still runs their own barrel cooperage). These barrels could only be used once as the extreme charring essentially destroys them. Hence, even though the total maturation equates to just three years, one can understand why this release was expensive.  The whisky is a single malt, however, the barrel regime also leaves an impression of Port matured Bourbon (think Angel's Envy), although the effect here is much more profound. Morris has delivered fascinating, shape-shifting aromatics, conjuring fruit mince pies, port-soaked tobacco, white chocolate and even suggestions of mezcal. The smokiness is nothing like peat - more like a smouldering campfire, which makes perfect sense given the radical finishing. At first taste, you might consider it a dessert malt, but the Muscat is managed so that the early sweetness makes it accessible without being confected. 

Product of Rutherglen, Victoria, Australia.

ABV: 48.3%

Size: 700ml