NED Australian Whisky has released Sounds Of Bathurst 2023, a unique collection of Australian whiskies aged to the guttural roar of V8 engines racing on the Bathurst track.
Made in partnership with Supercars and Grove Racing, this is NED’s third sound-aged release after winning Double Gold at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards and Melbourne International Spirits Competition for their 2022 release.
Released just ahead of Bathurst 1000’s 60th anniversary event in October, the whisky is aged in a custom-built, sound-proof container at NEDs Melbourne distillery, where powerful speakers ensure the sounds of Bathurst’s greatest moments, including Greg Murphy’s 2003 Lap Of The Gods, deeply penetrate the amber liquid over 2000 hours.
Sebastian Raeburn, Master Distiller at NED, said sound ageing is a particular sort of alchemy that sets these whiskies apart from the crowd.
“At the heart of Sounds of Bathurst is our NED Australia Whisky, but what truly sets this release apart is the Supercars alchemy. Over 2,000 hours, we’ve witnessed the whisky evolve, the V8 engine roar infusing rich oak and caramel undertones with nuanced layers of complexity.
“It’s not just about ageing whisky, it’s about capturing the essence of Bathurst within each bottle. And I genuinely believe, with this editon, we’ve pushed our craft to new horizons,” he said.
To prove the point, a third whisky joins the collection this year. Called Start Line, it’s the same reserve grade NED as the Retro and Innovation labels, with the difference that it hasn’t undergone the sound aging process, NED called it “fascinating and delicious proof of the sound ageing impact.”
NED said in a statement that their unique sound ageing process creates a distinct flavour profile they’ve observed over the past three years of Sounds Of Bathurst releases. “We’ve discovered that dark toffee and burnt maple flavours are enhanced and highlighted with a greater depth of texture in whiskies that undergo the process.”
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