It's an ingredient list that reads like a whopping 14 percenter: blowtorched marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers, cherry purée, caramel, chocolate and biscuit malts, vanilla, lactose, and more than 12 months in Tasmanian whisky barrels. So how does all that come across when squeezed into a mere 5.8 percent ABV, as is the case with Wolf of the Willows' latest S'Mores-inspired release?
Surprisingly well.
Tip can into your glass and, initially at least, sweet, jammy, cake-filling berries and a hint of vanilla do a great job of dominating the aroma to the point you might question where everything else has been hidden. Take a swig, however, and those berries head towards dark cherry in nature, while the malts and biscuits hint at coffee as well as dark, bitter chocolate.
By the finish, everything seems to be jostling for your attention long after the sip has disappeared, with a spiciness nurdling through the middle – perhaps from the whisky barrels. Give it time to warm and that character comes more to fore, as if you've transitioned from your dessert to an after dinner snifter.
James Smith
Published June 16, 2024 2024-06-16 00:00:00
