Co-created by one of Scotland’s most awarded Master Distillers, Jim McEwan, together with Cape Byron Distillery Co-founder and distiller Eddie Brook are two new Australian takes on a classic Scottish single malt. Many readers will already know of Jim McEwan who has more than fifty years of experience in the whisky business, having worked at Bowmore for 38 years, before overseeing the rebirth of Bruichladdich and most recently helping to get new Islay distillery, Ardnahoe, off the ground. Two editions are on offer: A Chardonnay barrelled limited edition, and this, the Cape Byron 'Original', aged in Scotland's traditional vessel of choice: American oak x-Bourbon casks. Says Brook, “They go together like a match made in heaven. [The whisky is] not overly dominated by the oak, it’s letting the spirit sing, and we’re seeing this marriage.” What partly accounts for the distinctive style is that the pair have resisted the temptation to use smaller barrels to ‘accelerate’ the ageing process. It's the opposite approach of most Australian distillers. “...We’ve got this climate that gives us faster maturation. Now that’s great, but it can also get too much, you can get too much tannin and then over-oaking in your whisky, ” Brook explains. "To avoid this, we only mature in full format barrels, between 200 to 300 litres in size". Specially designed warehousing facilities further offset Byron’s temperature extremes. According to McEwan, another factor is the distillery's proximity to the coast. “Walk down the barrel room... you’re getting that marine character and influence coming through" he says. "That moisture is falling on the oak staves, and slowly but surely, there’ll be a residue of salt and eventually as the whisky moves in and out, as the temperature increases, the alcohol will expand and it will touch the salt, and pull it back, and that brings a unique marine freshness to the spirit – quite different from anything else...” No surprise that McEwan reckons fans of Bruichladdich might taste some similarities in the Cape Byron spirit. “They’re not dissimilar. There’s no peat, [Eddie’s] using American oak, I used a lot of American oak Bourbon casks as well. I’ve used wine casks – and you’ve got all the wine casks there. There’s a similarity there between what I was doing in Islay and what Eddie’s doing here." As for the taste? Can't say there are many like this - either here or abroad - but you can appreciate why McEwen draws comparisons with Bruichladdich. Cape Byron's Original is a creamy, near voluptuous malt that defies its age. Peaches and cream come through with sweet barley and shortbread on the nose. The co-mingling of dried mango and juicy malt with the Bourbon vanilla aspects is nicely done, and there's a spicy edge adding vibrancy. At the finish, more peaches and cream, dried mango and a little grilled pineapple, pepper and coastal freshness develop. It's a whisky less about overt complexity, all about generous mouthfeel and precocious flavour. No doubt that equation will change over time. Right now, the creative forces behind the project have guaranteed one of the more compelling Aussie releases in recent years. Matured for three years in 200 litre ex-Buffalo Trace Bourbon casks. 47% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Batch 001 tasted. Notes from the producers... The colour of a Byron Bay sunset. The palate offers soft vanilla, creme brulee and biscotti characters, layered over distinct notes of pear, coconut and buttery macadamia.

XXII the connoisseurs' range from 23rd Street Distillery explores rare territory with our signature adventurous spirit. This 100% Australian Single Malt Whisky has been patiently biding its time. Australian Pale Malt, distilled in our towering twin copper pots and aged in first-fill ex-Bourbon American oak. Matured to an assertive, balanced complexity over four Riverland summers. Due to its Southern hemisphere birth, swirl anti-clockwise in the glass to waken its slumber and unlock sensory treasures including honey, tangerine, cardamom and brioche.

The Signature expression shows bright topaz hues on appearance which open a door to orchard fruit profiles, macerated black cherry and biscuit notes balancing the zest of marmalade jam, lingering cocoa and dark-berry flavours. Prize winning fortified barrels impart an unrivalled finish of intense dried fruit with a supremely rich depth of character. COLOUR: Bright Topaz Hues NOSE: Orchard fruit profiles, macerated black cherry and biscuit notes. PALATE: Extremely well rounded with a pleasant mouth feel. Zesty marmalade jam, lingering cocoa and dark-berry flavours. FINISH: Prize winning fortified barrels impart an unrivalled finish of intense dried fruit with a supremely rich depth of character that lingers on the palate.

Distilled in the heart of Sydney, Rusty Barrel's premium vodka is made from a base of Australian wheat and pure Australian water. This super smooth vodka has been processed using a unique carbon filtration system that results in a delightfully silky mouth feel with subtle, sweet grain character highlights. Rusty Barrel Vodka is not your everyday vodka. The combination of extraordinary artwork on the barrel shaped bottle and metallic skull bottle stopper, enhance the visual experience and take you on a journey into a post apocalyptic future with a uniquely Australian feel. Not for the faint hearted, Rusty Barrel Spirits encapsulates the anarchy, chaos and destruction of a post apocalyptic Australia. A must for your home liquor cabinet or behind the bar at any trendy nightspot. Drink cautiously... Tasting notes: This super smooth vodka has a complex nose of honey, light butterscotch, vanilla cream and stone fruits. Full-bodied palate with some red fruit character and orange rind on the finish. It has got everything you would expect from a wheat based vodka - delivers throughout the whole sip.

Australia's first spiced agricole rum. Designed to reflect the salty coastal rainforests of the North Coast of NSW, Spiced Bam Bam starts as a 3-4 year old barrel aged sipping rum. It is then infused with whole native & traditional botanicals including wattleseed, native ginger, citrus (mandarin & orange), cinnamon quills, Tahitian vanilla beans and sea salt. The result is a softly spiced rum that actually tastes like rum, perfect to sip on the rocks, mix with ginger or in any rum cocktail.

Brookies Byron Dry Gin is made on our family farmin the hinterland on Byron Bay (St Helena). It isdistilled with Native Australian Botanicals from theheart of our rainforest.Brookies contains 26 botanicals of which 18 are Native to our region of Northern Rivers (Byron Bay)

Starward Wine Cask Single Malt Whisky is uniquely Australian, crafted exclusively with local wine barrels for maturation resulting in a Whisky with balanced aromas of raisins, bananas and a touch of balsamic lead to clove, toffee and nougat. The palate is filled with red berries, hints of cinnamon and a variety of savoury and spice driven notes. A long, dry and tannic finish guides a strong linear reach through the palate, balancing a generous roundness and oiliness of the spirit.

This is a BIG gin so be ready! Double juniper gives a bold & not to be ignored entrance followed by 3 tiers of citrus spark offering butter and sweet profiling. Herbaceous and earthly floral leaves notes of garden rain on the palate.

Made using 100% Australian grown rye from a single farm in the Murray Mallee region of South Australia. The whiskey is aged in charred, new American oak barrels to embody the characteristics of traditional rye whiskey. Flavour notes: Sweet allspice, clove and pepper followed by dried red fruit and creme caramel.

Creamy mouthfeel packed full of rich dark fruits and sweet malt notes, which give way to sweet vanilla and cocoa interspersed with cinnamon spice. The whisky is matured in a combination of French and American oak ex-wine barrels plus finished in rare Morris Muscat barrels, previously used to create multi-award winning Muscat. COLOUR: Deep rich copper with reddish hues. NOSE: Rich with dates, figs and sweetness of dark molasses. PALATE: Well balanced and complex. Dried fig, sweet malt, vanilla and spices with creamy mouth feel. FINISH: Superb oak influence, lovely finish with satisfying after taste that lingers on the palate.