In whisky bond stores across Scotland, rows of dusty casks rest in cool, damp silence for years, sometimes decades. In each barrel is a spirit that’s been handled by master distillers in accordance with the strict standards of the Scotch Whisky Association, the ultimate arbiter of what can and cannot be legally deemed Scottish single malt.
In Australia, there is no such letter of the law. Barrels sweat through sweltering summer temperatures in sun-baked tin sheds; barrels of native timber are slicked with Manuka honey or smoked with lavender; casks are sourced from a dizzying range of vineyards, both home and abroad. Beyond ageing their spirit in wood for at least two years, Australian whisky distillers are free to let their creativity run wild .
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