Manly Spirits "Coastal Stone" Elements Series Ginger Beer Cask

Manly Spirits Inaugural Release Virtual Tasting, October 6th 2021, Sample #5 Nose: Ginger, strong and intense. Apple juice, apple cider. The dried glass aroma is ginger. Palate: Spicy/sweet arrival with ginger clearly dominant. Fruity and malty flavours show up in the development. A little heat, but that’s not surprising, and the texture is full and rounded. Finish: Medium. Ginger ... ginger ... ginger ... The last expression of the tasting was an experimental casking that has been matured for just over 2 years so far (the minimum requirement in Australia) in a 300 litre ex-red wine cask. This had already been used by Starward distillery in Melbourne for maturing their malt whisky, and then by Four Pines brewery for their barrel-aged ginger beer. Being a refill cask with a diverse history it’s not surprising that this contributed complexity to the Manly Spirits new-make without too much oak presence, and the result is a tasty and rounded dram ... but it's not really whisky as we know it. This was labelled as a work-in-progress malt but I’m not certain whether it is to be released as part of the “Coastal Stone” series. I enjoyed it but it’s always difficult to judge an unusual whisky against more traditional styles. Is it really just a whisky-flavoured alcoholic ginger beer? I have to admit to being pleasantly surprised by this but I wouldn't buy a bottle, and I'm not convinced it can even be rated on the same scale as other whiskies. However I have to admit it was genuinely enjoyable to try. I'm giving it 3 stars, but the score is a reflection of its potential for fun and its value as a point of conversation rather than any quality as whisky. “Above Average” : 80/100 (3 stars)