Limeburners M90 “Director’s Cut”

Score: 94/100

ABV: 61%

Origin: Albany, Western Australia

Price: $350

Match with: Rare beef, macadamia nuts, mushroom based dishes

Limeburners is a brand of whisky produced in the southern tip of Western Australia, in a place called Albany. Malt Mileage has been fortunate to receive a sample of Limeburners M90 “Director’s Cut”, a single cask offering that is bottled at a ferocious 61% ABV. The M90 was matured in an American Oak Barrique and finished in an old in-house brandy cask.

On the nose the whisky offers undertones of doughy whole meal loaf shining through vanilla, buttery herb bread, chocolate coated raisins, Christmassy fruit tart, herbal notes, celery, nuts, satay, water chestnuts, strawberry seeds, red candy, glazed cherries, and the burn of wasabi. The palate presents with a surge of crystalline brown sugar, very rummy and herbal in character, with a big hit of medium-dry brandy and underlying notes of luscious malt, vanilla, butter, toffee and raisins that gradually dry into the finish. The Limeburners distillery character comes out in the finish with a malty note that underpins sweet pastry and lingering vanilla, caramel and raspberry flavoured candy as the burn of wasabi peas and that delectable dry brandy are a praiseworthy finale.

Overall, Limeburners M90 “Director’s Cut” is an Aussie dram with a rumbling fire in its belly – the drying kick of an old in-house brandy cask is cushioned by soft vanillas from the American oak, and all the while the distinctly malty (and downright delicious) Limeburners distillery character shines through it all. The age of the brandy cask Limeburners used to finish this whisky is unknown, but it certainly seems “old” given the curious herbal rancio notes that glow on the nose and the palate. Those herbal notes add a different dimension to this whisky, that, together with a nice solid kick in the teeth by an old brandy cask that is softened by vanillas, fruit and a rich underlying juicy malt makes the Limeburners M90 one of the most enjoyable Australian whiskies to pass my lips – not only is it lip smacking whisky, but it is distinctly Australian lip smacking whisky. Its price of $350 is perhaps some indication that this whisky was made with little expense spared – the most selective cuts and casks seem to have been used, and the result, as the director already knows, is pretty darn special whisky. It is expensive whisky though, perhaps a little too expensive one thinks.