Peach | Oak | White peppercorn | Berry jam | Leather

Tannic dry oak | Leather | Dark berries | Peppercorn spice | Faint honey | Underlying malt note

Peppercorn spice | Dry oak | Leather | Dry spice

For the third edition of Pinhook’s Collaboration Series, Pinhook partnered with Jordan Salcito. According to the company, Salcito is an “internationally renowned sommelier with a storied career in the wine world and at leading restaurants including Restaurant Daniel, Eleven Madison Park, and Momofuku where her wine list was named the ‘Most Original Wine List in the World’ by World of Fine Wine Magazine.” Revisiting his wine roots, company founder Sean Josephs and Salcito blended the whiskey utilizing four distinct styles of Starward Australian Single Malt, which had been exclusively aged in red wine barrels, further bridging the worlds of wine and whiskey. The release consists of 28 barrels that were distilled by Starward Distillery in Australia, ranging in age from 4-5 years.

The time in the Australian climate is evident throughout this single malt when you notice the dark color for its age. The wine influence is evident as berry notes abound on the nose and palate, along with spice and oak. Starting off on more fruity notes, the influence of oak, spice, and leather becomes more dominant as you move throughout the sip. Ending on notes of spice, oak, and leather, the finish is mouth-suckingly dry and rides out on a bed of spice.

To be clear, consumers need to know what to expect when going into this whisky. An Australian single malt that is aged in undisclosed types of red wine barrels being sold by an American whiskey company is going to be a love it or hate it pour. While the whiskey does a great job for its age of delivering fruity notes up front, the dryness that shines through in the palate and, specifically, the finish, is a showstopper and holds the sip back. I really like that Pinhook is willing to push the boundaries of experimentation with their Collaboration Series. While not every release will reach the heights that the Second Edition saw, I appreciate when brands are willing to try new things.