McRobert Single Malt Cask Strength

Nose: Malt, honey, citrus, a suggestion of oak. There are not a lot of distinctive aromas to this nose but it is pleasantly generic (which I don’t mean in a negative way at all). Adding water makes little difference to the profile but it does open the whisky up making it easier to notice both the aromas and the alcohol presence. Palate: Sweet arrival but a big wave of malt and alcohol burn comes thundering after, with a spicy and peppery sting in trail. The burn continues and grows as it sits on the palate and you can only enjoy this whisky in its neat form via very small sips. The texture is unremarkable. Reduction makes the whisky a lot easier to handle by taming the alcohol burn but it also introduces a bitter citrus note. Finish: Medium/Long. There is length but it is simple. Malt with a big alcohol burn that lasts on the palate. Adding water adds lingering bitter citrus. The neat nose is generic, as I mentioned above, but only in the sense that it resembles any number of good but not stellar Scottish malt whiskies matured in ex-bourbon casks. It reminds me a little of Glen Grant 10 and Glen Moray Classic. There are no faults and for a 61%abv whisky there is surprisingly no sting of raw ethanol on the nose. However the palate is a whole different story and this is where you really notice the high alcohol content. There is a lot of burn and sting, and this is followed by the sensation of raw ethanol. Tasting too much of this neat will wreck your palate for hours so this is a whisky that demands reduction before it can be enjoyed. You have been warned. McRobert Distillery is located in Kelmscott, Western Australia and is a relative newcomer. They are producing a wide range of whisky (maybe too wide?) including single malt, peated single malt, bourbon-style, corn, rye, white rye and new-make as well as gin and vodka. I thought this whisky was OK but not quite mature, both in terms of age and in design. Its youth is obvious and it lacks complexity, but it’s a very good start on which to build. It’s also worth noting that their products are being issued in 700ml bottles and the prices are very reasonable. Good job. “Average” : 79/100 (2.75 stars)