Bakery Hill

Bakery Hill

One of the latest additions to the fast-growing Australian malt whisky scene is David Baker, at Bakery Hill distillery in the state of Victoria. Bakery Hill’s malt whiskies are double-distilled form Australian malt, and using a single 1000 liter pot still. The distillery produces three main types of malt whisky: ‘Classic’ is distilled from unpeated malt and matured in bourbon barrels. ‘Double Wood’ begins life as ‘Classic’, but is then finished in French red wine casks. And finally ‘Peated’, which, surprise, is distilled from peated malt and, again, matured in bourbon barrels. The casks used for maturation are all quite small (50 or 100 liter). No caramel is added and bottling occurs at 46%. Both the ‘Classic’ and the ‘Peated’ malt are also bottled at cask strength (over 60%).

Bakery Hill ‘Classic Malt’ has a pearlike fruitiness on the nose, with malty notes, the slightest touch of leather and clear vanilla and custard. The finish is drying, with the leather coming back. Bakery Hill ‘Double Wood’ resembles the previous expression, but with clear winey notes and an additional layer of fruitiness making it softer and gentler. Bakery Hill ‘Peated Malt’ has a buttery nose with boiled sweets and soft peat. The palate is more peaty but without the peat becoming overwhelming. Spikes of vanilla poke through the peat and the finish is dry.

The cask strength versions are more intense than the standard version, as you might expect. The ‘Classic Malt’ has gained a rich-buttery nose, whereas in the ‘Peated Malt’ some of the peat is replaced by dry-woody notes.

All these malts are still very young (no age statement is given on the label), but, young as they are, they already show that Bakery Hill distillery is definitely on the right track. Here’s to a very welcome addition to the world’s malt whisky distilleries, and one which I’m very keen to follow as the malts are given more time to mature. Judging from the present line-up, we’re in for a real treat in 5-10 years time!