It’s the break of dawn, with a drive to the airport on the itinerary; what ensues is a hot cuppa, followed by a two hour flight, a taxi ride, and a hotel checkin. Fast forward a few days later, and the same process was to follow but in reverse; the only difference being a quick detour to the Esperence Distillery, to grab hold of their Single Malt American Oak, Cask No 3, Lisandras Series. 

The name Lisandras comes from the distillery that previously stood ground before the Esperence distillery took over in 2024. The whisky, too, comes from the distillery’s pre-takeover stock, double distilled in copper pot stills.

This batch is made using barley that is locally sourced, water from harvested rain, and aged in lightly charred american casks that held bourbon whiskey in a past life. Matured at both Perth and Esperence, the whisky, as is with most Australian whiskies, isn’t aged for long, and the final product comes in a petite 500ml bottling with a touch of personalisation coming from their paper labelling, lending it that wee bit of soul and character.

Batch : LIS003, Bottle No 235.

Abv : 45%

Eye : Deep gold

Nose : Sweet cantaloupe with vanilla, cloves and hints of char; fresh wood shavings, coupled with traces of orange zest, golden raisins and olive brine.

Taste : Vanilla paired with charred melons and a mellow, yet delightful sweetness. Hints of salt and possibly some nectarines in the background, bits of dried fruits, that are infused with spiced aromatics.

Finish : Medium | Woody with a lovely whiff of spice, some sweetness and brown sugar

The Cask No 3 Lisandra series exhibits a few traits with whiskies that are solely matured in American ex-bourbon barrels and aged in temperate and warm climates. The charred melons, the woody oak influences are all shared commonalities; with the one difference being its subtle sweetness, the brine, and the spiced aromatics that begin to elaborate with time.

At AUD $145, it does hit the ceiling for a 500ml bottling, and unfortunately is not something that you can easily purchase out of your corner Bottle-O. First impressions seem to be quite mundane, but with time, it begins to evolve. All in all, let’s be true to ourselves. It isn’t value for money and lacks the ability to narrate a story. I would be open to trying this for the Esperence experience, and unfortunately, that would be it.

Slainte!