Cape Byron is a distillery whose new releases I always look forward to. Whether it’s the Chardonnay Cask, the limited Viognier Cask, or even their Brookie’s gins, there’s always a distinct Australian influence running through their creations.
One of their most popular products outside whisky is The Mac. — a macadamia nut and wattleseed liqueur made using produce grown on their Byron Bay property. As an experiment, they aged some of this liqueur in bourbon barrels for a few months, releasing it as a limited Barrel Aged Mac.
Being a B Corp certified distillery, Cape Byron doesn’t let good barrels go to waste. Once emptied, those same Mac. barrels were filled with three-year-old single malt and left to mature for a full year. The result is the Mac. Liqueur Cask Single Malt — a world first, as no single malt has ever been aged in macadamia nut liqueur barrels.
Bottled at 45% ABV, only 550 bottles were released. I was lucky enough to receive a sample for review.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Light gold with thick, slow-running legs.
Nose: Sweet orange marmalade leads, with hints of apricot and a touch of butterscotch.
Palate: Milk chocolate leaps out straight away — creamy, rich, and unmistakable. The orange marmalade from the nose moves into the background, joined by a strong buttery sweetness.
Finish: Lingering sweetness shifts into a gentle nuttiness, like toasted shortbread.
Final Thoughts
Make no mistake — this is a sweet whisky. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, it may not be for you. But for those who enjoy dessert-like drams, it’s a winner. The sweetness takes centre stage, yet the liqueur’s other flavour notes keep it balanced and interesting.
What’s Next for Cape Byron?
The Mac. Liqueur Cask is the first in a new series of unique cask finishes. Future releases include:
- French oak wine casks hand-selected by Master Distiller Jim McEwan, known as The Cask Whisperer.
With a modest price of $150 and only 550 bottles released, the Mac. Liqueur Cask won’t be around for long. It’s available directly from the Cape Byron Distillery website, along with the original Mac. Liqueur and the Barrel Aged Mac. that seasoned the casks before this whisky.