A KIWI BONFIRE ON THE BEACH, IN A BOTTLE.

The Heart Cut #18 – Thomson 5 year (07 Aug 2019 – 25 Mar 2025) Ex-Bourbon 50.8% 270 50 cl Bottles

• Nose – Mmmmmmm bacon, charred pineapple, a lovely peat-like sweet, a medicinal whiff, then a wonderful aromatic hickory smoke, followed by chocolate raisins, something a bit herbal with a hint of floral
• Palate – A great interplay between sweet baked fruits and smoke – in perfect balance! Juicy, chewy, smooth, and well-balanced, resinous, with sweet spices of cinnamon and cloves, joined by some sauna salt
• Finish – Long-lasting with that lovely hickory-like element

There was real substance here. A unique character that drew us back.

When I revisited it with another friend, it was even more of a hit. We really liked it – with a nice complexity, just a little bit different with each sip.

Alas, our pocket pour was gone too soon… we could have continued to sip and enjoy.

How did our experience compare with The Heart Cut couple? They shared it tastes like:

Thick, aromatic smoke rises first – charred wood, pine resin, and a balsamic note that drifts towards mesquite and sweet birch. Beneath, the fruit opens: pineapple chews, sherbet lemons, and a twist of citrus. On the palate, smoke rolls again, joined by barley sugar and a juicy hit of nectarine and overripe peach. The finish is long, layered, and balanced – sweetness entwined with lingering manuka wood smoke.

Key Takeouts: Charred Wood, Pineapple Chews, Sherbet Lemons, Barley Sugar, Nectarines

The Heart Cut Thomson

The folks at The Heart Cut shared that this whisky made the cut because

This is smoky whisky – but not as you know it. Instead of Scottish peat, Thomson uses native manuka wood (yes, the same tree better known for its honey) to smoke their malt, creating a flavour absolutely unique to New Zealand and a technique that Mat Thomson himself created! The result is oily, herbal, peppery, and deeply resinous, with layers of smoke that linger on. Just as smoke became one of Scotland’s hallmarks, manuka has become one of New Zealand’s – captured here in a single cask, giving us only 270 bottles. Ever.

We would agree on all counts! This is a special dram worth catching if you can!

Curious about the other Pocket Pours we sampled?