Nestled within the heart of the Southern Highlands, Osborn House played host to a celebration of The Wiseman Whiskey’s Australian launch last week. A crispy evening in the picturesque highlands with an array of Kentucky’s finest on offer – does it get much better than this?
We kicked off the afternoon with a tasting led by esteemed dram-man and Global Ambassador, Tom Jones, unveiling the rich tapestry of the brand’s history, and the techniques and personalities that have defined this whiskey maker for generations.
Exploring a treasure trove of diverse flavours, we started off with The Wiseman Bourbon. It’s got everything you could ever want in a classic Kentucky bourbon and then some. A perfect level of sweetness with some subtle smoke and notes of orange peel. This, with a glass full of ice on a hot sunny day? Forget about it. This bottle will be on constant rotation at my house going forward.
In addition to the launch of the bourbon, The Wiseman Rye is now available on Australian shelves, and I was lucky enough to try some for myself. Spicy, smokey, fruity and surprisingly delicate. There’s depth of flavour here. Actually enjoying a splash of rye, neat, wasn’t something I was expecting to take away from this experience, but here I am. I can see this bottle scratching the itch of a digestif on a balmy summer’s eve. Delightful.
The remaining two bottles aren’t your everyday drops: Kentucky Owl ‘Confiscated’ Bourbon and Kentucky Owl ‘Batch 12’ Bourbon. Both are special, sophisticated, complex and delicious products that have been meticulously crafted to represent the best Kentucky has to offer. If you can find one of these bottles, you’d be making a mistake not to add it to your cart.
Moving on from the tasting, a cocktail for Golden Hour? Why not. A Manhattan with The Wiseman Rye will do just fine. The Manhattan was one of the first cocktails I learned to make as a young barkeep, and it holds a special place in my heart. However, it’s not generally a cocktail I’ll go for at the bar, as more often than not, I find it lacks depth. Perhaps I have been consuming sub-par Rye this entire time. It’s possible.
This Manhattan, or Wisemanhattan, has genuinely made me reevaluate how I feel about the drink, and I’m thrilled about it.
To not lean on the in-house kitchen talent that Osborn House boasts would be a missed opportunity. A five-course, fire inspired meal seemed fitting. Each flame-kissed dish, expertly paired with a different Wiseman cocktail, left me nothing short of satisfied.
Although, a cocktail with every course is not something I needed to know I was missing in my life. Damn it.
Time for a nightcap, smores and a Wiseman Chai Old Fashioned by a crackling fire under a canopy of stars does the job, and it does it well. Entertained by Tom’s wealth of stories from the whiskey world, a perfect end to an incredible evening.
Awakening, weary-eyed and dejected that the experience had come to a close was made infinitely more palatable thanks to the luxurious accommodation. You haven’t seen the last of me, Osborn House.
If you’re in Australia and you’re keen on a bottle of The Wiseman, head to thewhiskylist.com.au to secure yours today.
The author travelled to Osborn House as a guest of The Wiseman
