Thomson New Zealand Single Malt Whisky - Manuka Smoke

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 46% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

For Thomson Manuka Smoke, the smoky character starts with the malt: barley grown entirely in New Zealand is smoked over native Manuka wood. This single malt therefore owes its smoke to a wood characteristic of New Zealand rather than to peat. It is then distilled in copper pot stills and matured in bourbon casks. Caramel complements the spicy wood smoke, while cinnamon, cloves and aromatic Manuka oils shape its distinctive character.

The whisky is bottled at 46% alcohol without chill filtration or added colouring. The bottle contains 0.7 litres and comes in gift packaging. Manuka Smoke was named Best New Zealand Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards 2019.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, caramel and dried fruit combine with delicate impressions of autumn leaves and dry bark. Biscuit notes then emerge, with a very subtle earthy nuance.
• Palate: The whisky feels silky on the palate. Red berries meet spicy notes.
• Finish: Spicy black pepper notes linger in the medium-length finish. A touch of honey and minty, liquorice-like nuances add to the aftertaste.

Distillery/Bottler:

Mathew and Rachael Thomson run Thomson Whisky as an independent, wholly New Zealand company. The brand began as a small project in Auckland in 2009: the Thomsons initially selected older whisky stocks from the closed Willowbank Distillery in Dunedin and released them as independent bottlers. Mathew had already experimented with distilling and smoking barley on the barbecue at home; he had been exploring Manuka wood in particular since 2005.

In 2014, they opened their own distillery on the grounds of Hallertau Brewery in Riverhead, northwest of Auckland. Proximity to the brewery provided access to brewing expertise, malt and water, as well as casks from New Zealand wineries. Today, the distillery operates a 1,900-litre copper wash still and a second copper still with a capacity of 1000 litres. Its barley comes from the Canterbury Plains on the South Island; the locally sourced water originates as rain over the Waitakere Ranges.

Thomson works on its casks in its own on-site cooperage and closely explores the influence of wood on whisky. Ex-bourbon casks and casks from New Zealand wineries account for most of its overall maturing stocks. The distillery uses water, yeast and malted barley as the basic ingredients for its single malts.

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