Lawrenny Descension Release

SHOP NOW

Descension has been crafted using local Tasmanian barley along with waters of the upper River Derwent, then placed into 100L ex Port and Bourbon casks to begin its ageing process. After three years, the whisky was placed into smaller bourbon and port casks, each with specific toasting and charring levels, imparting subtle nuances throughout the profile. Barrels were rested for a further year to complete maturation before being united together for its final finishing in 10 year old Boal Madeira casks over twelve months. Chosen for their balance of sweetness and acidity, these casks added further complexity to an already multi-layered expression.

Warm honey roasted peanuts, English toffee balanced with herbal sage and distant notes of wet stone can be found across the nose. The palate is reminiscent of a Scottish Highland's single malt, with the minerality of the spirit providing a base for notes of coconut, white pepper and marzipan all balanced with blackberry, treacle and clove. A lengthy finish of vanilla, toasted oak and the unique fortified lift of the Madeira influence creates an enticing single malt whisky.

Colour

Deep polished copper radiates out from the center to a bright marigold at the edge of the glass.

Nose

The gentle scent of freshly picked peaches intertwines with lemon peel and manuka honey. As you inhale deeper the complex notes warm leather and toasted oak beckon you in for a sip.

Palate

With a lighter and more nuanced than the sister release Ascension. Descension rolls delicately across the palate bringing chewy macadamia Anzac biscuits, toasted marshmallows and white chocolate. The finish is dedicated to the unique notes of the Madeira finishing casks with herbal sage and cocoa powder intertwining with the vanilla bean and white pepper of the oak.

descension release
distillers notes

Brewing and Fermentation

Tasmanian malted barley, fresh water drawn straight from the River Derwent and the trifecta of Saison, Ale and Distiller's yeasts is a great place to start when creating such a special whisky. But, it's what we do with them that really makes the difference. Diligent brewing practices ensure the best extraction from the malt and a long, low temperature ferment allows the yeast to create nuanced flavours seldomly seen together in a whisky spirit.

Distillation

A gentle heating process over 12 hours for both the Wash run and Spirit run allows the whisky spirit to round off any impurities developed after fermentation. The result is a new make spirit that is light and filled with notes of fresh summer fruit with a deep savoury finish. Like all our releases we vat the new make spirit run's together to ensure consistency for every barrel and every release.

Cask Selection & Entry Strength

With the intention for this whisky to be a reflection on the Ascension release we chose to dive into a similar assortment of cask types and sizes. Sweet ex-Bourbon casks and decadent ex-Port casks were selected to assure that the profile of Descension was akin to its sister release. Creating Descension to be lighter in contrast to Ascension's deep and rich nature, the use of PX casks for finishing were substituted for the unique characteristics of 15 year old Madeira wine casks.

Our low barrel entry strength allows for the whisky and water to intertwine from the very beginning. Care is taken to adjust the strength at each stage to maximise the impact of the cask on the whisky. This brings a cohesive nature to the palate as less water is used at the end when it comes time to bottle - resulting in a purely unadulterated whisky.

Cask Management

As inspired by the name, Ascension was a process of managing the whisky as it moved from 20L casks to 100L casks and then to the largest of all 600L finishing casks. Descension moves in the other direction. Cataloguing our oldest whiskies and taking a selection of our most well rounded 100L Bourbon and Port aged casks where the process began. The chosen Port casks were then blended together and strength standardised with the process repeated for the Bourbon casks. Ascension has a link to the heart of this release, with the same 20L casks used at the start of its maturation being sent to the cooperage and rejuvenated. It is these refreshed 20L Port and Bourbon casks that were refilled with the whisky from the 100L casks. After 12 months in the 20L casks the whisky was ready to be blended together and begin its final stageof finishing. Selected for the unique balance of sweetness and oak profile, 15yo Madeira casks were chosen to round out the whisky for a further 10 months.

Dilution & bottling

The introduction of water over time is an important aspect in making a world class single malt. This is the final stage where we dilute the now decanted whisky. The bottling strength of descension at 46.6% has a number of benefits. Not only does the whisky shine at this strength but it also shows our commitment to making whisky that connoisseurs will love but also a strength that those who are venturing into the world of single malts can enjoy.

To reach the whisky's final bottling strength we slowly introduce water over weeks so that the spirit and the pure water have sufficient time to marry together to ensure the best possible result. We do not chill filter our whisky and instead let time and gravity do any removal of sediment so you are tasting nothing but unique Lawrenny whisky in every bottle.

Joe Dinsmoor
Head Distiller

TASMANIAN single malt whisky