Overeem PX Cask Matured
Official Release | 61.8% ABV
Score: 2/10
Avoid.
TL;DR
This may push you back to your scotch
Perhaps it’s best to choose your own whisky adventure
The pandemic took a lot from the world. But lockdown also resulted in changes for businesses and led us to indulge in life’s vices at home.
Alcohol consumption was reported to increase following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the majority of statistics around this are self-reported, so it’s difficult to truly capture whether this increase was significant or whether the discourse regarding alcohol was more prominent as our capacity to engage in outside activities became increasingly limited. People started mixing cocktails at home and became bored with only exploring their pre-pandemic tipples, hence the demand for discerning craft alcohol products awoke for those who previously may not have indulged.
Businesses adapted their services to cater for consumers at home, bars sold and delivered samples and distilleries organised tasting packs, which further ignited the trend of online tastings -something which continues to stick around, and may do so permanently.
The conversation around whisky started to grow too. Facebook provided a platform through groups, catering for people who were not necessarily in a club or society so they could engage with others, post photos of recent purchases or what they were drinking. I believe this to be the nitrous oxide which turbo-boosted Springbank into the highly sought after category it’s in now. I would hazard a guess that it also breathed further life into the secondary/flipper market.
In my Clynelish review, I spoke about the journey we take with something like whisky, that this may have been a speed run for consumers buying and tasting through a carousel of spirits during lockdown. A perfect paradigm for something like a whisky subscription service, which intends to offer you a diverse, curated experience without any of the leg work.
There’s also the exclusive bottlings and imports which may attract more long-standing whisky consumers, but whether they stay for the long haul is entirely up to the spirit. The whisky omnivore in me could appreciate the idea of giving in and welcoming a new malty buddy or two to my shelf every month, but the further I get on this journey, the more I want to understand the nuances of certain malts, especially my favourites. It takes a great deal of trust for services to make the whisky purchase on your behalf with this model. There is the ability to opt out, which is simple enough to do for most subscription services, however the default is an immediate purchase.
Some of us may even do this informally. I trust my whisky friends’ tastes implicitly, and always feel reassured with their recommendations. They know my tastes and know the types of expressions and distillates I prefer. If a subscription scratches your whisky itch, then that’s brilliant, but if your tastes follow a certain path, you may be subjected to a few average to disappointing experiences.
For those in the Northern Hemisphere who may be unfamiliar, Overeem takes it to the premium level in the scope of Tasmanian whisky. Australia may be too young to have whisky regions, but there’s a distinct style, presentation, and premium price tag associated with a majority of Tasmanian whisky products. It’s the site of rebirth for Australian whisky distillation and has the largest number and concentration of whisky distilleries out of all Australian states. The airport for the capital city of Hobart features displays of malted barley and presentations of the state’s product, enticing new arrivals to not only explore the famous wineries, but the up-and-coming distilleries too.
Most whisky fans will be familiar with Sullivan’s Cove, which in my mind is the Macallan of Australian whisky, in which case Overeem may be a Glendronach or Glenallachie perhaps? At any rate, it’s a premium malt; well regarded and priced as such, along with a baseline expectation of quality in tow.
“The first ever Overeem PX sherry cask is bottled at 61.8% natural cask strength. A marriage of five Overeem port and sherry casks finished in a 500 litre Pedro Ximenez butt from Langmeil Winery in the Barossa, this is one that fans and collectors of Overeem don’t want to miss!”
Review
Overeem PX Cask, The Whisky Club Exclusive, 61.8% ABV
Released in May 2020 – still selling for $275 on The Whisky Club, sign-up is required.
Nose
Sharp. A bed of raisins dehydrating at a nail salon. Occasional wafts of candied ginger and praline, offset with a vinous undertone. Surprisingly thin and not as rich as you would expect from a sherry-matured Tasmanian whisky. Time in the glass doesn’t do much to enhance the aroma. The Denver & Liely can be brutal when nosing a high proof whisky, but don’t bother fetching a glencairn or copita because the less focused you are with this the better.
Palate
Fiery with cinnamon sticks, cloves and pine needles. There are flashes of sugars but surprisingly no sticky sweetness from the Pedro Ximenez casking. Baking spices start to build, leading into an astringent long finish. Unpleasant new make starts to present itself over time, suggesting a poor integration of cask and spirit. It’s difficult to tell whether this was bottled too early or whether the cask had a rancid influence, or perhaps even both. The addition of water doesn’t help, it flattens the sharpness but the uncoordinated flavours distance themselves even further from each other. Do not advance to “Go” with this bottle.
The Dregs
We have to take responsibility for our whisky purchases, especially when the price is in triple digits. We’re not owed anything, especially when we haven’t tasted the whisky before the bottle purchase. But can I decide to perhaps avoid something like this again?
Definitely. This may have been a whisky produced during the Lark ownership era of Overeem, which has been ended for a long while now, despite that, this experience has stuck with me and I don’t believe I have acquired any further bottles from the brand, nor Tasmania. I don’t blame Overeem nor Whisky Club. However, I’ve cancelled my subscription and won’t be paying this much for a whisky I’m either not familiar with nor have earned the trust for any more. I’ve still made purchases which have left me wanting or not met expectations, but not for this amount of money or this level of undrinkability.
There are drinkers who enjoy this bottle, which is great, but for me it cemented more of a sole path towards Scotch whisky and distillate focused expressions. I also encourage drinkers who are figuring out what they like to pursue those tastes in earnest. There’s definitely value to taking a punt or spinning the whisky roulette, but remember, whisky is expensive.
We really should be enjoying the majority of what we purchase, especially in bottle form. Life is not only too short for bad whisky, it’s too short for average whisky. If you want to experiment, I feel the best reward can be from trying drams at bars or purchasing sample sets. I even encourage sample swaps with fellow whisky anoraks, especially those who are familiar with your tastes. If you take time and effort with your choices, then you’re owed a good dram.
Score: 2/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. CD
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