Pōkeno Distillery Discovery New Zealand Single Malt Whisky
Pōkeno Distillery Discovery New Zealand Single Malt Whisky Bottle. Image courtesy of pokenowhisky.com.
Pōkeno Origin Single Malt Whisky set the tone for this new distillery, letting the house character shine in ex-bourbon casks free from other distractions.
With Pōkeno Distillery Discovery, the distillery moves into sherry cask finishing, a worldwide tradition that despite its ubiquity can, when used right, highlight and amplify the best flavors of the underlying spirit.
To age its Discovery Single Malt Whisky, Pōkeno uses oloroso and PX sherry casks from Jerez, Spain, accompanied by a certain percentage of the blend also aged in the traditional ex-bourbon casks.
Sherry aging has been used for malt beverages for centuries - but, as with everything in New Zealand, there are quirks.
For one, it takes an extremely long time to get the casks there, even in pre-COVID times. That means no wet casking: the casks are bone dry by the time they arrive, shown in the whisky’s lighter-than-expected color. It also means the flavors gained from the casking are truly from the cask - no leftover sherry sloshing around that disappears immediately into the liquid. After aging their stocks separately in each of the oloroso, PX, and ex-bourbon casks, the aged distillate is vatted together and allowed to marry.
Triple-casked and aged around three years, the final product has the pleasant, even satiating sweetness and richness of the Pōkeno Origin, the Discovery adds chocolaty and red berry notes from the oloroso and more depth from the PX. It is delicious. By not having the outright sherry added to the distillate upon casking, Pōkeno Discovery refrains from being too sweet while retaining the dark, stewed fruits from the sherries and the bright coconut custard from the ex-bourbon.
I could go either way on this or the Origin, truly. Either is a solid pickup you will be thrilled to share with your malt-loving friends, shocking them even more when they find out its age.
Thank you to Pōkeno Distillery and ImpEx Beverages for providing this sample free of editorial constraint.
Pōkeno Distillery Discovery New Zealand Single Malt Whisky: Specs
Classification: New Zealand Single Malt Whisky
Origin: Pōkeno Distillery
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Proof: 86 (43% ABV)
Age: 2+ Years Old
Location: Aotearoa, New Zealand (North Island)
Pōkeno Distillery Discovery New Zealand Single Malt Whisky Price: $99.99
Pōkeno Distillery Discovery New Zealand Single Malt Whisky: Tasting Notes
Eye: 18k gold. Bleeding but thick rims, quick but large droplets on thin legs.
Nose: Black cherry and dark chocolate, the PX and oloroso hitting first. Sweet malt tempered by the tart cherry. The bourbon cask is understated as a flavor but elevates the malt through the sherry influences. Cashews and raisins.
Palate: Red raspberries and blackberry jam on wheat toast. Dry oloroso and strong, nutty rancio explode on the back palate, the malt a bright if somewhat youthful intrigue. PX doens’t seem present here. The mouthfeel is silky without going syrupy, like a sweet tamago or egg custard. The raisins and peppery spice are joined at last by the PX in darkness rather than sweetness.
Finish: The rancio grows and ebbs. Dark chocolate opens late on a medium-length finish, fudge chips in vanilla and raspberry ice cream (Love Potion No. 9 from Baskin-Robbins comes to mind). Moderately coating, no burn.
Overall: The sweetness from the Origin is tempered by the dry oloroso and darkness of the PX. The bourbon is understated but plays a big role in promoting the malt through the heavier sherry flavors.
Final Rating: 7.1
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary
8 | Excellent | Exceptional
7 | Great | Well above average
6 | Very Good | Better than average
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary
4 | Has promise but needs work
1-3 | Let’s have a conversation
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