Whipper Snapper Distillery Upshot Cask Strength Australian Whiskey
The cask-strength edition of Whipper Snapper’s Upshot bourbon-style whisky sits at a hefty 63% abv – a solid deal for the price considering how much we pay in tax on alcohol percentage in Australia. Big, musty oak notes dominate the nose with less of the fresh, nutty wood of the other Upshots. This whisky is still matured in virgin American oak casks, but is entered into the cask at a much higher alcohol strength than its less potent siblings, resulting in more extraction and less balance between oak and grain with the wood somewhat domineering. The palate provides some balancing sweetness in the form of cherry cola, and the finish has plenty of warmth without being at all over the top for this strength. A few drops of water bring out some plum pudding and burnt sugar on the nose while also improving the texture on the palate. Definitely one for the oak lovers.