Water of Life

Never Never Distilling Co. / Caffe Bartolo collaboration

Never Never Distilling Co. has been on my radar for quite some time.

Upon finally experiencing the emissions of the distillery that was founded by three blokes with a blatant disregard for any obstacles that might be thrown their way, I can attest that the fearless spirit they produce lives up to its premise.

Channelling their alchemy within the confines of a small brewing facility, their juniper forward hooch is based on partially steeped ways of treating the main ingredient that capture both the bright and the earthy qualities of the world’s smallest conifer, which rests on a carefully curated bouquet of botanicals complimenting the character of the juniper, e.g. the citrussy Australian coriander, pepper berry for a more rounded savoury experience and a hint of cinnamon to give it some warmth. Clocking in at 43% ABV, the clean profile is accentuated with a big of a punch that will find itself in good company no matter if it is the heart piece of a negroni or a martini.

With the myriad of gin distilleries popping up like mushrooms and crowding the market with trying to compete in terms of innovation and modern interpretations, Never Never deliberately takes a step back and honours traditional ideas and methods by adding more juniper to their gin than any other gin on the market, which results in a big, viscous spirit with a strong, balanced flavour, rich mouthfeel and a lengthy finish which is accentuated by a simple lemon to work its magic.

Now, while Never Never Distillery’s gin expressions by themselves might be a thing of beauty, proffering them in form of curated cocktails within the context of what is the sophisticated and inviting Crown Street's all-day authentic Italian diner Caffe Bartolo, not only adds another dimension but with the collaboration seeing the restaurant collaborate by matching the liquid emissions with a four-course food betrothal courtesy of Bartolo's head chef Teofilo Nobrega (known from Fratelli Paradiso) and the gin based drinks being given an additional edge via the creative input of Grazia di Franco, it elevated all aspects to the next level:

A Snap(per) Chat (Triple Juniper gin with tomato and carrot juice) was married to a citrus-cured snapper and pickled celery heart in a Bloody Mary sauce – a holy matrimony that was topped by Bartolo's Martini (Never Never’s Southern Strength Gin, vermouth and Sicilian wine) paired with pepperoncino-stuffed swordfish involtini.

The four courses culminated with a dessert that was started with the Bitter Freak (Juniper Freak Gin, vermouth, coffee and amaro) and an elongated finish that tickled the taste buds with an amaro and juniper berry-infused fried custard topped with fior di latte gelato and burnt oranges.

I have been to quite a few drink and food pairings and while most of the time it is an enjoyable affair, this one stood out not just because of the high-quality ingredients the total of which was something bigger than the mere adding of the individual constituents would suggest. It was the hospitality that added the “je ne sais quoi” factor with all operators seamlessly and expertly going about their business with both dedication and an omnipresent smile that reverberated on to the audience.

The attention to detail with which Caffe Bartolo is outfitted, e.g. the carefully curated photos that adorn the walls, the geschmaecklerische and quirky drink utensils ready for usage on the delicate marble bar, dark wood venetian blinds and floral wallpaper covering the bathroom walls, results in a magnetic pull that anyone with a sense of taste and appreciation for fine details would find hard to resist.

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Photos by @k.a.vv

Water of Life

Tiger Snake & Limeburners/Pirate Life collab 

I hear you – the flags of everything Bourbon and Sour Mash are in most people’s minds thoroughly planted on terrain in the South of the new world.

Terra australis has not only emerged on the world map of quality spirits but continues to consistently create drops that push the envelope, which boosts demand beyond of what most of the small distilleries can supply.

Limeburners based out of Albany is one of the hoocheries that I have yet to taste an expression from that does not leave me smacking my lips. Needless to say that I was excited when I became aware of the fact that the entity behind Limeburners, i.e. The Great Southern Distilling Company, have tried their hand in creating a Sour Mash whisky that is based on the traditional Tennessee approach, i.e.  barley, rye and corn being the base components, the Tiger Snake Sour Mash Whiskey is another standout in a line-up that has hardly any weaknesses.

In the most smooth and subtle way aromas of vanilla, malty and nutty nuances hit the nose once the cork is popped and a sweetness unfolds on the palate that is not intrusive but informed by high notes of honey, caramel  and oats.

The elegant finish that whispers insistently “Pour me another dram” is creamy in nature and is a microcosm in itself in which toffee and vanilla play prominent roles. I have yet to experience the full range of Limeburners’ expressions, however, this one has instantly catapulted itself to the forefront of my favourites.

Given the quality of the excellent whiskies coming from Limeburners paired with my weak spot for Boilermakers, the announcement of the Pirate Life / Limeburners Whisky Barrel Aged Stout 2018 collaboration got me mildly excited.

With beer and whisky both sharing a DNA of malt and water, the coming about then starts to come to a crossroad. What is interesting about the Pirate Life / Limeburners collaboration is that both find together again creating a total that is much more than the mere sum of its components.

Truth be told, I am usually not big on Stouts or dark beers and was a tad sceptical about how this one would turn out as I immensely enjoy both Pirate Life’s IPAs and Limeburners’ whiskies.

Pirate Life / Limeburners Whisky Barrel Aged Stout 2018 is a complex and sublime exercise in somehow marrying a heavy and decadent Stout that has surprisingly sweet notes with the best parts a Limeburners barrel has to offer, i.e. dominant vanilla notes, piney flavours, chocolate and honey.

Not unlike a delightful whisky, this one is one to hit the pause button for, kick back, let it warm in your glass and let it unfold its surprising highs.

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First image by T, second provided

Philip Anselmo and the Illegals

Factory Theatre

Sydney, Australia

March 30, 2019

Phil Anselmo has quite a back catalogue and since his days with Pantera has proven his front man qualities over and over again with exquisite acts and the crème de la crème of what the NOLA scene and generally the South of the United States has to offer.

Phil H. Anselmo & The Illegals is yet another incarnation comprised of (ex-)members of some of the best of the never not incestuous Louisiana scene. So far for the commonalities.

On record I found their emissions a bit amiss as it seemed to lack structure with its irregular rhythms and leaning heavily towards grind territory, including ultra-low death metal growls courtesy of Anselmo and him at times employing a range of screaming styles within the confines of individual songs.

In a live environment it proved to be a different experience as the band manifests itself in a powerful dissonant onslaught of manic chaos worlds apart from what went down under the umbrella of Down or Superjoint.

A well-calibrated melange of death, thrash, and grind was unleashed with the sold-out crowd being willingly pummelled by a set that culminated in an enthusiastically received Pantera medley in honour of his fallen brothers.

Anselmo was in fine form, vocal delivery wise on top of his game and I doubt that anyone who remotely likes his former incarnations would be disappointed by him holding court with the Illegals - a band that is difficult to top in terms of intensity and pithiness, despite this endeavour being informed by a far simpler and more aggressive approach that his other bands and a focus on the foundation of unbridled anger in its purest form.

Rose Tattoo

Metro Theatre

Sydney, Australia

March 29, 2019

Claiming that Rose Tattoo is an iconic band is an understatement par excellence.

While they are held esteem on stage around the globe both by fans and bands that have formed in their wake, them incarnating on stages down under is something else: It is Australian Rock and Roll history and royalty in motion with the DNA of both hard rock and blues condensed to its elemental core and infused with the idiosyncratic grit, working class ethic, the trials and errors of earthly existence and peppered lyrics that resonate with anyone who has felt the repercussions of what life can throw at you.

Spiking the setlist with anthems is an easy feat for a band that has had a forty-year run of consistently pumping out classic tunes. The fact that the band has actually lived the life that informed their lyrical content gives adds another layer to their performance.

Angry Anderson holding court in all his glory without lacking an iota of fierceness when it comes to his vocal delivery and his charisma well intact along with the tight backing of his worthy constituents’ commands attention, and each protagonist adding a colourful stone to the mosaic that is Rose Tattoo.

There must be something in the water on terra australis as there is something to Australian rock that is missing from the variants in other countries and Rose Tattoo, who emerged from the mid-seventies pub rock scene not unlike their cousins AC/DC yet took blues rock and created their own lane with a focus on the incorporation of the boogie slide guitar, have always been on the forefront.

A magnificent band with a blistering and intense show that honoured their legacy without drawing on nostalgia and celebrated street level, no nonsense, pure and dry blue rock that neither needs to rely on bells and whistles nor irony.

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Photos by T

Water of Life – Whiskey Makers / Master Distiller’s edition

We have established previously that when it comes to anything Jameson, Brian Nation is the authority to give his nod of approval for any emission from the hoochery based out of Midleton – given that he worked through all facets of Jameson before he was passed the baton by his predecessor Barry Crockett.

Honouring the tradition and channelling his distilling alchemy through a single pot producing different types of decoctions and utilizing a variety of cask types, the drops that Brian Nation started producing coincided with the dawn of the golden age of whisk(e)y, an era we still find ourselves in these days that even puts big players like Jameson under stress to cope with demand.

The beauty of the Whiskey Makers series special editions that have been distilled under the benign guidance of Brian Nation is that they are pushing the envelope yet stay true to the DNA of Jameson and honour its heritage.

Let’s start off by zero-ing in on Jameson Cooper’s Croze: In essence, this is a liquid homage to their Head Cooper, a gentleman going under the name of Ger Buckley, and to honour the significant influence the wood exerts on the character of a whiskey.

Having matured in what reads like a trifecta symphony of wood, i.e. sherry, Bourbon and virgin American, and clocking in at 43%, it turns out to be quite a fruity, full-bodied and citrussy number on the nose, with spices, layers of vanilla caressing the palate and the exit being made with more than the sum of bananas, spices, cinnamon backed by an underlying sweetness, which is reminiscent of more elegant drops from the Speyside.

What has become known as the Distiller's Safe is Brian’s own creation.

Being an extravagant melange of grain whiskey and small batch pot still, having undergone maturation in American oak casks and referencing the apparatus where the cut for the final distillate is taken and calibrated, aromas of apples and pears along with hints of cinnamon and lemon zestiness tickle the nostrils. 

The pitstop on the palate is best described as a delicate evolution from sweetness via butterscotch to vanilla, culminating in peppery notes. I am not surprised that he Brian was happy to put his name to this one. Not at all.

Next up is the rich Black Barrel – a blend that gets its name from being aged in re-charred bourbon barrels with the character of what a single pot has to offer reverberating through each drop.

Despite its gloomy name, this one is an elegant exercise in fruitiness with highlights of spice and an underpinning woody foundation that gives way to a creamy palate with nuances of cinnamon, vanilla and an elongated nicely balanced rich malty finish.

If you are used to merely shooting Jameson alongside your Guinness, you are missing out my friend.