Review: Pienaar & Son Tiny Batch Medium Char

South African whisky has come a long way in recent years, and Pienaar and Son’s Tiny Batch is one of the bottles that has helped put local whisky on the radar, particularly in the main market with fun gifting campaigns and great social media work.

Medium Char is part of a two-part release (the other being Heavy Char) both single grain, single cask whiskies matured in virgin American oak and bottled at 43% abv. Each cask only produces around 550 bottles, so I would have personally preferred to see “Single Cask” on the label, as there isn’t much “batch” about it.

Pienaar & Son Tiny Batch Medium Char Review

The nose is sweet and fairly delicate. Vanilla, honey, and fresh oak come through first, followed by caramel and a distinct grassy note. There’s a touch of coconut and white chocolate. It’s pleasant, although the oak is definitely doing a lot of the talking.

The palate is soft, sweet, and easy-drinking. Again, vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak lead the way, later being met with baking spice and a little pepper. There’s a nice creamy quality to it, but is overall pretty straightforward. At 43% abv, there’s no heat to speak of, although I’d have liked a little more weight and concentration, however I understand the decision to keep the abv on the more accessible side for this one.

The finish is medium-short, with more vanilla and spice. It’s clean and pleasant, but doesn’t exactly hang around.

Overall, I like what Pienaar & Son are doing here, and I think Tiny Batch is an important whisky for South Africa. I can’t say it’s a bottle I’ll show off in my collection, but I don’t think that’s it’s purpose. Rather, it is a very approachable young whisky with a clear identity. The virgin oak gives it plenty of vanilla and sweetness, while the medium char keeps things from getting too heavy. It’s uncomplicated, and while I would love to see what more age and other casks can bring here, it’s clear that the distillers know what they’re doing – they’ve produced a clean and well-made spirit.

For someone wanting to explore South African whisky, it’s a good place to start. For a serious whisky nerd looking for layers of depth, I’d probably reach for something else.

The Heavy Char is an expression I’m excited to compare side-by-side with this – I’m keen to see what some additional oak influence could contribute to the spirit.

86 proof.

B / $51

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