By Andy Young
The latest whisky release from Overeem has had to be postponed after huge demand “broke the internet”.
The Overeem Single Malt Whisky Port Cask Matured, Cask Strength 60 per cent ABV, and 43 per cent ABV were scheduled to be released at 11am on Thursday, but the huge demand caused the Overeem website to crash. After the website was upgraded, the company hoped to have the whisky available today, but once again the website crashed under the strain of consumers trying to get hold of the popular whisky.
Jane Overeem told TheShout: “I can’t believe what has happened over the last 24 hours. Everyone’s been waiting for the Port Matured for quite some time, probably around 11 months now. Earlier in the week I sent an email out to our database saying it would be available at 11am on Thursday, because that gives everyone a fair chance to buy it.
“Then at 10.45am yesterday I went to go into our website to make the product live and I couldn’t even get in. So I had to put a post up on the Australian Whisky Appreciation Society’s Facebook page saying that I couldn’t get into our site, so can you please log off.
“Then I finally managed to get into our website and it crashed. I actually didn’t realise it was going to be so popular, which is why I thought it would be OK to say a time, but it wasn’t OK. I was getting really stressed out about it, but I went on social media and saw everyone was having a laugh about it, saying ‘you broke the internet. I thought it was only Kim Kardashian who could do that’, but we’re still getting positive feedback with people saying ‘it’s a good problem to have’.”
As result of the strain on the website, Overeem made some upgrades and once again told its database that the whisky would be available on Friday morning, but once again it proved too much.
Overeem added: “We’re now going to defer the release to next week, but I just hope that we don’t have the same issues again.
“I’ve just sent out another email telling everyone not to panic because there is going to be another release of Port Matured in May and June, but it’s just this initial release that has everyone jumping on it because we haven’t released any for so long.”
The whisky does have a number of retail stockists and Overeem said that she does provide them with a small amount of stock, to help spread the whisky around, but added the company simply does not have enough whisky to keep up with demand at the moment. And while the company has always had a loyal following, Overeem did admit that its following has grown in recent years, especially since Sullivans Cove was named as World’s Best Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards in 2014.
Overeem told TheShout: “When Sullivans Cove won we got a larger following and a lot more people were exposed to Tasmanian whisky in general. That was certainly a massive positive for the entire industry, not just Sullivans Cove.
“There is also a lot more international interest in our whisky as well. But the loyalty that we’ve had for the start has always been there for Overeem, but there are definitely a lot more people trying Tassie whisky now.”
The whisky, which is available at $275 for the 60 per cent ABV and $210 for the 43 per cent ABV, is scheduled to be available early next week, subject to website capabilities.