Pōkeno Origin
Whisky from New Zealand
" Tim, we are going on a nice and long vacation to New Zealand.
Do they have whisky there and can we bring you something back?"
You got to love those kind of neighbours, right?
Happily I answered New Zealand actually has several distilleries that produce whisky, and yes, I would love to try the Pōkeno whisky!
If they could be so kind to bring me something like that?
A few vacation weeks later, my doorbell rings and a nice bottle is presented.
I've spotted this whisky online a couple of time, and each time I just wanted to try it.
Why? Well, check their own introductory video for example!
Reading about tropical fruits, vanilla, sweet savoury notes. I just wanted to try it!
Checking my local suppliers made me return empty handed, so when my neighbours were so kind to provide me with one, I was very happy.
I popped the cork that evening to try this dram.
The Pōkeno Origin is made with local barley and aged on a first fill bourbon cask.
It is bottled at 43% Vol. and that surprised me later on, but no spoilers yet.
On the bottle I could find no information about chill-filtration or coloring, but since this is a core range bottle, I suspect some coloring might be done.
The color on this one is a warm golden yellow and a twirl in my glass left a thin layer on my glass.
On the nose I got some dusty vanilla, from the bourbon cask, but that vanilla is battling warm honey, apples, pears, apricots and some mineola.
The first sip surprised me, the sip was coating my mouth in an almost oily feeling, without being a thick liquid.
I 've had the feeling before, but mostly with cask strenght whiskies. And this one is not cask strength, but bottled at 43% like I mentioned earlier.
The vanilla pops up again, paired with some soft caramel syrup. Quickly followed by the minneolas and some pears. In the back ground some small hints of coconut.
The finish could be longer for me, but leaves a lingering fresh sweet note in a nice and balanced combination of honey and pears.
Thank you Joanne and Jeroen, for this bottle and the opportunity to try a whisky that was on my wish list!
