Corowa 4 yo Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company)

Volume: 0.5 litres | Alcohol content: 48.5% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

A cask previously used for Australian Tawny shapes this release in the Return to Oz series. The single malt from Corowa matured in it for four years before That Boutique-y Whisky Company bottled it as Batch 1 at 48.5%. The release comprises 592 bottles, each containing 0.5 litres. The whisky is not chill-filtered and contains no colouring.

The illustrated label draws on the history of the distillery building: Australian football is being played outside the former mill while a cheque for one Australian dollar changes hands. An Australian funnel-web spider also features in the scene. It connects the bottle to the theme of dangerous animals that runs through the labels of the Return to Oz series.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, toasted seeded bread and rich, dark jam notes meet dark chocolate with chilli and woody spice. Milk chocolate also emerges, developing into impressions of scones with jam and cream.
• Palate: On the palate, pronounced jam sweetness contrasts with bitter dark chocolate, sour cherries and oak spice. Chocolatey malt notes add to the flavour profile, at times recalling coffee chocolate.
• Finish: Fruit emerges on the finish. A slight bitterness provides a contrast and recalls jam.

Distillery/Bottler:

Corowa is in New South Wales on the Murray River. The distillery occupies a former grain mill dating from the 1920s. The Druce family has a farming background, and the barley used comes from its own farm or local growers. The nearby Rutherglen wine region, with its fortified wine producers, supplies many of the casks Corowa uses to mature its whisky.

Founded in 2012, That Boutique-y Whisky Company is an independent bottler working with distilleries around the world. Its range includes small, limited releases as well as its own blends. When selecting whiskies, the bottler also takes an interest in those that depart from a distillery's usual style. The hand-drawn labels tell stories about each whisky's origins or offer playful clues to the distillery. Return to Oz follows the first Australian series from 2021 and brings together releases from nine Australian distilleries.

Facts: