Top Shelf International announces the first despatch of the final whisky release in NED’s core portfolio – NED Grand Reward.
The new release stands as the pinnacle of the range and sits above NED Australian Whisky and NED Green Sash, representing exceptional whisky extra-matured in the finest ex-tawny barrels sourced from Kelly Country.
It is believed to be the only tawny-matured corn whisky in Australia released as an ongoing concern.
Grand Reward is a culmination of years of innovation and experimentation and a drive to create a whisky that represents the Ned Kelly story, hence why the barrels are sourced from the Rutherglen region of the Victorian highlands to make this unique dram.
Made in a similar style to Portugal’s region-protected Port, Australian tawny is rich and sweet, typically with notes of dried fruits, nuts, spice, and toffee. After soaking into the barrel, the Grand Reward whisky draws this sweet fruitiness out of the wood and onto itself.
Corn whisky rarely receives a tawny cask finish, so this is a unique whisky experience where the brightness of the spirit combined with the sweetness of the cask adds a particular vibrancy.
It is described by the NED distilling team as ‘an iron fist in a velvet glove’, and NED’s most luxurious and refined whisky yet and, ‘a dance of tawny sweetness and classic NED notes.’
The nose is distinct while the palate is soft for 50% ABV, and the cereal notes of the whisky maintain a structure and length that’s satisfying and moreish.
Grand Reward is definitely one to sip and savour, as the team says it is ‘hard to move away from drinking neat when there’s this much complexity.’
Ben Hunting, Head of Maturation and Distillation, NED, says, “It’s fortified cask maturation, but not as Aussies have come to know it. We’ve dared to be innovative and by using our corn-driven, mixed grain mash bill with the tawny casks.
“Grand Reward is something unique and very delicious. We want to keep pushing Aussie whisky boundaries, and this is a liquid gold example of it.”
The first tranche of NED Grand Reward is limited to 318 bottles and despatched from the distillery today; the next parcel will be released when it reaches maturity at least a few months into 2024.
NED Grand Reward Australian Whisky with 50% ABV is available now for RRP $119.95
