MORRIS Muscat Barrels Australian Single Malt Whisky Review & Tasting Notes

MORRIS Australian Single Malt Whisky started as a family winery in 1859, with six generations involved in winemaking (and now distilling).

 

“The unique and distinctive MORRIS whisky flavour comes from unrivalled access to fortified wine barrels for finishing the whisky, barrels which have held the world’s most highly awarded fortified wines. 

In 2016, the distillery was built around the original copper still built in the 1930’s and installed at the Morris winery in 1941.

Today, we combine decades of tradition, our heritage still and ancient fortified casks with contemporary techniques to create a whisky that is a true expression of time and place.” – MORRIS Whisky

 

MORRIS is located in Victoria, where the climate offers average temperatures in the low 40s (Fahrenheit) in the winter and upper 80s in the summer. Even in those winter months, it experiences higher humidity levels. All of this leads to an accelerated maturation as compared to Scotland.

 

John McDougall led the distilling team, including the late Dr. John Swan as a consultant. Its resident, Head Distiller is Darren Peck, who was mentored by McDougall.

 

I reviewed its flagship, “The Signature” Australian Single Malt Whisky this past November. I found it disjointed, and it earned my Bar rating. It didn’t take long for MORRIS to come across the review. They thanked me for my honest assessment and invited me to try a different expression.

 

That leads us to today’s tasting adventure, Muscat Barrels, an Australian Single Malt Whisky aged three years in American and French oak casks. Once matured, the whisky was transferred to former Muscat fortified wine barrels for an undisclosed duration. A 700ml bottle weighs in at 48% ABV (96°) and has a suggested price of $89.99.

 

Muscat wine is made from muscat grapes, one of the world’s oldest grape varietals. The wine typically offers tropical and citrus fruits as well as floral characteristics. The grapes are laid out in the sun to dry and then pressed. They’re sweet wines and go with a plethora of foods.

 

How does Muscat Barrels taste (and is it superior to “The Signature”)? We’ll have to #DrinkCurious to answer that, but before I get there, I must thank MORRIS for sending me this sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Appearance: I poured this whisky and sipped it neat from my Glencairn glass. It presented as the color of rust and produced a thick, jagged rim and sticky droplets.

 

Nose: The aroma was sweet and inviting, smelled of molasses, golden raisins, apricots, figs, dates, and toasted coconut. Dates and apricots tangoed across my tongue when I inhaled through my mouth.  

 

Palate: Its texture was rich and creamy. I tasted English toffee, butterscotch, and golden raisins on the front of my palate. The middle consisted of figs, dates, and stewed plums. The back offered flavors of chocolate, molasses, and coffee.  

 

Finish: Coffee was the most pronounced note on the finish. But the stewed plums, raisins, and figs carried through. It was medium-to-long in length.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: There was no contest between the Muscat Barrels and The Signature whiskies. Whereas the latter made no sense to me, Muscat Barrels was fruity, deep, and well-balanced. The price may be a bit high, but I enjoyed this whisky tremendously and believe it is worth the premium. I’m happy to have this one in my library and cheerfully convey my Bottle rating.

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.