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This is the ultimate indulgence in Australian craft Whisky. White Possum has compiled 12 premium local Whiskies, presented in matte black glass sample bottles, together with a handy tasting and info guide to creating the most recognised Australian Whisky tasting set. The Flight of the Possum set features Whiskies from TAS, VIC, NSW, WA and QLD. Many of them have won major awards, but White Possum have also selected a few that fly under the radar!

Japanese whisky is not only Suntory or Nikka, there are many other less known distilleries whose reputation continues to grow. And for this new tasting, They choose a blended malt, the White Oak Tokinoka blended malt. The White Oak distillery, located in the city of Akashi (Hyogo Prefecture), was the first to obtain a license for distilling whisky in 1919. Built in 1888 for the production of sake and shochu, at the beginning the distillery produced only blend whisky in a traditional way and specially reserved for the domestic market. Then the site was modified in 1984 to start producing whisky in bigger quantities. The Eigashima Shuzo Company owner of the distillery, produced since 2007 several single malts named Akashi.

Made using a tradition family recipe and Queensland barley aged for 7 years in ex redwine reconditioned French Oak barriques with American oak heads. This whisky displays rich luxurious amber colour, sweet honey and spice on the nose. Complex sherry, port and vanilla on the palate. Perfect for celebrating births, weddings, wakes and anything in between.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is matured in separate, charred oak barrels adding a rich and colourful flavour to their Kentucky straight bourbon. Before bottling, the second barrel is deeply toasted before a light charring - extracting additional amounts of soft, sweet oak character. The innovative approach to maturation has crafted a delicious and award winning bourbon whiskey.

Michters is Americas first distilling company, dating back to 1753 when they started out making rye whiskey. They take a 'Cost Be Damned' approach to the production of every barrel, using various methods including air drying their barrels for 36 months, toasting the barrels before charring them, using a low barrel-entry strength, heat cycling to encourage ageing during the frigid winters and using specific filtration types for each whiskey they make.

As seventh-generation distillers, Minor Case have another favourite pastime: reminiscing. In 1871, M.C. Beam began his distilling career under the supervision of his Uncle Jack Beam. By 1883, he was a partner at his own operation, where he brought his son Guy — Steve and Paul Beam’s grandfather — into the business. Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey is “what might have been” in a bottle, reawakening the stills of M.C. Beam that were silenced by Prohibition. “I always felt it was an unfinished chapter in our book,” Steve says. Had master distiller M.C. Beam not been stifled by Prohibition, they imagine his straight rye whiskey would taste a lot like the mature elixir we bottle today. It’s aged in cream sherry casks for an unforgettable flavour. Minor Case Sherry Cask Finish Straight Rye Whiskey has aromas with earthy notes and sweet sherry. Hint of sweet butterscotch flavours on the palate with a smooth finish and hints of dried fruits.

Matured for many years in traditional Whisky casks before being finished in sherry casks, this 12 year old single malt from Balvenie is rich and smooth. It's characterised by rich honey sweetness and a delicate layer of Sherry that lingers on the palate.

The Coffey Still is the worlds first patented continuous still invented by Mr. Aeneas Coffey in 1830. Masataka Taketsuru valued the feature of this type of still, which retains the flavours of ingredients and also creates a distinctive texture. Complex, sweet and mellow flavours in Nikka Coffey invites you back to beauties of grain whisky.

On a short list the most desirable, super premium American whiskeys, Pappy Van Winkle is usually near the top – if you can find it. But there’s another name in town: “Michter’s”, with roots going back to the 18th century. For scarcity, reputation and market value, Michter’s is now outdoing Van Winkle on every score. The ultra-aged releases are periodic and therefore actually far rarer than Pappy’s which are annual. Many consider older Michter's superior to the equivalent Van Winkles, especially if you prefer your whiskey to not be overly oaky. To top it off, a Michter’s 25 Year Old Rye has reached $8000 / bottle. Or there’s a 25 Year old for US $10,000 at Wally’s Liquor in the States. Take your pick. That’s the direction this brand is headed. The modern Michter’s was created in the 1950s (then owner, Lou Forman combined his son’s names – Michael & Peter). Later in 1989, the company declared bankruptcy, abandoning the original Pennsylvania operation. In the 1990s, two entrepreneurs filed for the Michter’s trademark and relocated the brand in Louisville, Kentucky. The “New” Michter’s whiskeys come with a swag of 5 Star / Highest Recommendations from respected critics that’s confirmed by a strong following amongst bartenders (now number two in top-trending American whiskey brands globally). There are four tiers in the range - which is a little confusing at first. The "US*1" expressions are the entry level, so named to honour Michter’s heritage, harkening back to America’s first whiskey company in 1753. Then come the limited releases (toasted barrel finishes and cask strength), then the age statements, and finally, there's a selection of ultra-aged 25 year old+ super limited bottlings. Master Distiller, Pam Heilmann, has extensive experience including time as manager at Booker Noe Distillery in Boston and 15 years with Beam Global. She’s helped out by Andrea Wilson, whose role is Master of Maturation. These ladies are very specific about the seasoning and toasting regimes of the wood they employ. They toast barrels before charring, which helps to make the wood’s sugars more accessible. They insist on barreling at a lower proof (103 instead of the standard 125), a practise which is claimed to get the sugars in oak to dissolve more readily into the distillate as it cycles in and out of the wood. Chill filtration is undertaken but customised to each whiskey's style. All Michter’s whiskeys are either ‘single barrel’ or ‘small batch’. Because “Small batch” is not a legally defined term in US whiskey regulation, many respected “small batch” brands are actually composed from hundreds or thousands of barrels, which helps to ‘lose’ sub-quality barrels in the blend. At Michter’s, the maximum “small batch” size is twenty full barrels. It explains why Heilmann and Wilson are more than a little fanatical about quality control, and you can sense it in the taste. Tasting note: [Lot L146456 tasted] Brassy gold. Opening aroma is peppery and true to style with lovely whiffs of dark rye bread; Further air contact draws out wax, dried apple, cinnamon and vanilla. Third pass finds suggestions of herbal tea - think peppermint and chamomile. Great complexity. A somewhat hollow entry leads into a powerful, peppery rye attack with ryvita biscuit, dried apple and peppermint tea flavours carried by vibrant spices. Hints of vanilla and toffee apple in the drying fade. Solid, text-book styled rye. 42.4% Alc./Vol.

Ledaig is a wonderfully distinguished single malt handcrafted on the Isle of Mull by the Tobermory Distillery. The only distillery on the island, Tobermory produces its only peated malt in this Ledaig 10 Year Old Single Malt. Sitting in the ancient vaults for 10 years and the use of superior oak wood casks, aromatic lochan water and the exclusively peat dried malted barley all go to producing a whisky of purity, power and vibrancy. The flavours and aromatics produced can't help but bring you to the ocean side on the Isle of Mull with their floral and smoky tones. Non-chill filtered at 46.3%, Ledaig 10 Year Old will delight all true whisky drinkers.