Belgrove Distillery 100% Rye Cask Strength Whisky (500ml)

Peter Bignell is a true renaissance man – farmer, sculptor, engineer, coppersmith, environmentalist and bio-fuel chemist, and now the distiller of Australia’s first 100% Rye spirit. Peter applied his sculpting and engineering nous (the same abilities employed to restore the historic Nant Water Mill) to build his own 500 litre copper pot still, which he direct fires with his homemade bio-diesel (also used to run his tractors and heat his house).

Keeping things on a self sufficient and sustainable course, the rye grain he uses is also from the family’s Bothwell property. Originally planted by Peter at the tender age of fifteen to feed the property’s livestock, the same field now feeds his still, while the remaining dried mash goes to a swine of pigs where the cycle comes full circle as manure.

Peter's rye whisky has now spent several years in barrels ranging in size from 50 litres to 200 litres. This is his inaugural release. The whiskies have not been chill filtered.

Tasting note: [Batch bottled 14.8.2013] Bright gold appearance is flawless and pure. Subdued at first. Subsequent sniffs build the aromatic intensity revealing semi sweet scents of honeycomb and peppermint. Second pass finds unusual ‘green’ notes (dill / sweet mustard pickle?) then the honeycomb / peppermint returns. What a sensational mouthfeel - the balance is quite something. A gently bittersweet delivery opens before filling out with flavours of sponge cake, followed by more intense, mildly bitter mustard seed-like notes. The sponge cake sweetness recovers and closes the profile, finishing intense, warming and mildly tannic at the fade. Rye seems to have a remarkably diverse repertoire - this is one of its more unorthodox expressions, though none the worse for that. 59% Alc./Vol.