An interview with Sullivans Cove Distillery Manager Heather Tillott, and a tasting of two new releases (Tasted #706 - 707)

It's been a big few weeks for Sullivans Cove - not only have they recently announced, for the first time, a cask strength version of the French Oak (at 17 years, no less - ballot open now), along with a French Oak Apera at nearly 10 years old (sold out), they've also just won a World Whiskies Awards "World's Best" for the fourth time - this time for World's Best Single Cask Single Malt Whisky.

Following their now-legendary 2014 win (and subsequent wins in 2018 and 2019) it was French Oak White Wine Old & Rare TD0112 which took home the award this time, beating out 23 other single cask single malt country-winners to take home the prize.

As if that wasn't enough though, the distillery also took home two further "Icons of Whisky" awards for its people, with Distillery Manager Heather Tillott winning the "Innovator Manager of the Year" award, and Warehouse Manager Marcelo Viapiana winning "Global Warehouse Manager of the Year.

 

It seemed then, like a suitable time to post an interview I held with Heather Tillott last year, when I was lucky enough to join the distillery in celebrating their 25 Year Old whisky milestone.

Martin: 25 years is an incredible achievement for Australian Whisky, but these were distilled at a time when that wasn’t necessarily the goal. 25 years on from that time, has the view towards long-term maturation changed in Australian Whisky and how does Sullivans Cove look at this in particular? Might we see even older Sullivan’s Cove releases in the coming years or decades?

Heather: Quite correct - the goal when these casks were laid down wasn’t to reach 25! The good people in that era of Sullivans were experimenting and learning what it meant to make whisky in Tasmania at that time, and we are very lucky to be able to continue with the work they did so many years ago.

25 years on at Sullivans, we’ve learnt a lot about how to craft spirit that is suited to a variety of ages, and how to nurture casks through the years in order to enable the greatest expressions of each cask to come to life.

While many distilleries founded in more recent years simply haven’t had the time to explore longer term aging, it’s only a matter of time. And while it’s not about an arms race to the highest age statement whisky, it’s also only a matter of time before we see even older Sullivans releases, as this is the nature of the bondstore… Time keeps on moving!

Martin: Since taking over production, how closely did you and your team need to monitor these two casks, or provide any active intervention (eg moving them around the bond store) - to ensure they remained “whisky”, but also didn’t get overpowered by oak and retained the quality Sullivans Cove drinkers expect?

Heather: Very closely. Old spirit can be quite fragile, and so extra care and attention is very important. They’ve both had moves about the bondstores, and both have had a gentle dilution during their maturation. This is an old technique used in Cognac and Scotch to gently reduce proof strength, thus enabling a softer maturation and ensuring the balance of oak remains.

Martin: In recent years as it became clear these tasks would reach 25 years, was 25 years the goal, or were they deemed “ready” (by a tasting panel) then, and it just happened to be at a nice round 25 years?

Heather: We allow each of our casks to tell us when they are ready! It’s a rollercoaster of emotions at times, with some casks in particular, but the end result is a wonderful collaboration of people, place and produce… After all, whisky is a product of agriculture, which means people and place! Thus, we didn’t have a particular age in mind for these two- they both came right on the same tasting panel on the 6th of May. We have a nautical bell which we ring when we decide to decant a cask, it’s in the distillery for all to hear… The bell rang twice that morning.

Martin: As the person responsible for production at  a world-renowned distillery on an island famed for its pristine environment, what is the most important sustainability initiative the Australian whisky industry needs to adopt today to ensure its long-term viability?

Heather: There’s a number of really important environmental initiatives in the operational discussion – irrigation in the field, a move toward organic practices, heat recovery systems in the brewhouse and distillery, co-product relationships with local farmers, sourcing casks closer to home (i.e., Australian wine casks!), etc. And there’s also the equally important considerations in the sustainability conversation around the people and business systems that keep the heartbeat of the industry. There is a range of scale and operations in Australian whisky, with many in the micro space; for us to ensure long-term viability we need an industry which supports all levels of scale, healthy workplaces, healthy businesses, as well as a care for our environment.

Martin: Given your background in winemaking, what's a lesson or technical philosophy you carried with you from the vineyard to the distillery?

Heather: The best advice I’ve ever received was from the world of wine… “Get out of the way.” I.e., don’t try to force the product to be a certain way. Tread gently, get out of the way, and let the magic blossom. It’s the duende!

Martin: Last but not least, it’s been a long day and you reach for something to unwind. Is it wine or whisky?

Heather: At the end of a long day, I like to revisit older bottlings of Sullivans, or high-ester rum. Both hold time to ransom for a while for me – there is nowhere to be other than the moment.

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Sullivans Cove 17 Year Old French Oak Cask Strength (Cask TD0297 (63.1% ABV, Single Malt, 17yo, 1 of 343 bottles, Tasmania, Australia, $2,500AUD)
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Colour: Dark Amber-gold

Nose: Big and robust notes of Blackberries mixed with an old dunnage warehouse.

Palate: Super viscous, with notes of gooey caramel, cigar box, a slight salinity and some meatier notes. There's some fruitier notes too - mature oranges and some berries.

Finish: Long and warming, with toasted oak and caramel chews.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100 (Martin). Given what this cask strength expression gives us in the way of flavour and complexity, hopefully this won't be the last CS release we see from the distillery! Delicious.

Sullivans Cove 9 Year Old French Oak Cask Strength (Cask TD0820 (47.6% ABV, Single Malt, 9yo, 1 of 260 bottles, Tasmania, Australia, $550AUD - sold out)
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Colour: Dark Orange-gold

Nose: Coffee grounds, toffee, fresh oak, flamed oranges and a hint of Eucalyptus.

Palate: Oily, with initial notes of honey, marmalade, and an underlying grassy spearmint. Notes of old oak round things out, but on the whole it's fresh, vibrant and has a lot going on.

Finish: Long and fresh, with the grassy-minty note continuing alongside orange and warming oak.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100 (Martin). I was expecting it to be a tasty dram, but wasn't expecting this much complexity. That was a pleasant surprise.

A big thanks to Heather for her time, and the distillery team for the samples.

 

Cheers,

Martin.

Hellyers Road Aged 22 Years, 21 Years & 12 Years (Tasted #702 - 704)

Happy New Year! Hope you all managed to get some downtime over the holiday period (hopefully with a dram or two in hand).

We're back into it for 2026, kicking off where we left off, with a few more Australian whiskies...

My two trips to Tassie last year (after a 17 year absence) gave me a great opportunity to get back into the Aussie whisky scene I’d been away from for so long - to try a bunch of new distilleries, rediscover old ones, and to connect and re-connect with some great whisky folk in Tassie.

One of those people was Mark from Whisky is my Jam - arguably one of the most knowledgable, passionate and connected people in all of Tasmanian whisky, and also a genuinely great bloke.

On a few occasions Mark took me through a range of Tassie whiskies - some I was experiencing for the first time, and some I hadn't tried in over a decade. In the latter camp was Hellyers Road, which in a "full circle" kind of moment was actually the very first two whiskies I ever wrote about on this blog (over 13 years ago)!

Mark put me in touch with David from Sales & Promotions at the distillery (someone I'd been following on IG for years), who was kind enough to send me a few well-aged samples to re-acquaint myself further. Included were:

• American Oak Aged 22 Years cask #2325.03 (80 bottles, full maturation, 56.5% ABV)
• World Whiskies Awards 2025 Best Australian Single Malt winner Peated Cask Finish Aged 21 Years Cask #20F05C01 (301 bottles, 17 years in ex-Bourbon then 4 years in an ex-peated Hellyers Road cask, 52.5% ABV)
• World Whiskies Awards 2022 Best Australian Single Malt winner American Oak Aged 12 Years (fully matured in 1st Fill ex-Bourbon casks, 46.2%)

Let's dig in...

 

Hellyers Road American Oak Aged 22 Years (Cask #2325.03) (56.5% ABV, Single Malt, 22yo, 1 of 80 bottles, Tasmania, Australia, $1,450AUD)
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Colour: Amber sunset.

Nose: Big and complex - orange / citrus notes and perfume, with some slight hints of peach, treacle and oak.

Palate: Immediate zesty orange peel, followed up by whole orange slices. Some oak spice & marmalade, ginger, and a slight grassy herbaceousness. It's complex, and it all works well. 

Finish: Long, marmalade, stone fruits.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100 (Martin). 

Hellyers Road Peated Cask Finish Aged 21 Years (Cask #20F05C01) (52.5% ABV, Single Malt, 21yo, 1 of 301 bottles, Tasmania, Australia, $1,350AUD)
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Colour: Golden sunset

Nose: Keeps the citrus oil and perfume of the 22yo, but with a subtle underlying campfire note, and more tropical notes (passionfruit mostly).

Palate: The peat smoke is more pronounced on the palate, but the passionfruit and oranges (whole) are there too, in perfect harmony.

Finish: Residual BBQ smoky meatiness, with some final orange zest. Long and lingering.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100 (Martin). Peated cask finishes sometimes don't work too well, but I'm glad to say in this case it works very nicely.

 

Hellyers Road American Oak Aged 12 Years (46.2% ABV, Single Malt, 12yo, Tasmania, Australia, $260AUD)
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Colour: Light golden sunset.

Nose: Bubblegum and Juicyfruit, orange oil, oaked passionfruit

Palate: Follows the nose, with big citrus oil notes, passionfruit, chocolate orange, hints of cinnamon, strawberries and a slight savoury note.

Finish: Long, with a lovely citrus zest that lingers.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100 (Martin). Complex and tasting - wonderful to see how far the spirit has come over the years.

It was great to revisit the distillery that I kicked off this blog with all those years ago, and even better to see the spirit come so far in that time. Thanks Mark for the intro and David for the generous samples.

Cheers,

Martin.

An unforgettable Tassie trip to taste the oldest ever Australian Whiskies [Tasted #700 - 701]

Recently I was one of a fortunate few invited by Sullivans Cove to visit the distillery for the launch of the oldest ever Australian whiskies - the new 25 Year Old single cask Sullivans Coves we announced recently. 

This not really being the sort of thing you say "no" to, I found myself on a Wednesday night heading down to Hobart (staying at the incredibly unique "story-telling" Macq01 hotel, appropriately situated next to Sullivans Cove - the Cove, not the distillery) ahead of the main event on Thursday evening - having just visited 2 weeks earlier on a personal trip, my first time in Tasmania since 2008!

Held at the stunningly renovated distillery in Cambridge, the event brought together makers, writers, whisky lovers and fans of craft and quality for an in-depth discussion into Australian whisky, Sullivans Cove, whisky production, flavour, ingredients, chemistry, the industry, and everything in-between. 

Kicking off with a welcome highball and canapés, guests chatted in the distillery's bar before heading into the private tasting room where our host for the evening was Distillery Manager Heather Tillot (who better than the person responsible for the spirit being produced today, nearing 10 years with the distillery?)

For the next few hours Heather covered all aspects of Sullivans Cove - it's history, future, production nuances, spirit character, and with guests including wine writers and chefs, the questions were varied, considered and prompted fascinating discussion, all with a trio of single cask Sullivans Coves in-hand (the 18yo French Oak from a refill cask, full maturating, was a particular highlight for me).

After a while though, it was time to grab a glass and head into the distillery for a tour, where the discussion continued over a walk through of the mashing, fermenting and distilling processes.

 

Back in our seats, it was time for the main reason we were all gathered - to taste the pair of 25 Year Olds. 

Thoughtfully prepared in two different glass types (a 1920s Blender's Glass for HH0010, alongside a Riedel Veritas for HH0056, with Glencairns on the side should we wish to compare), each dram was accompanied by details on each bottling, as follows:

• Cask HH0010 - 25 Year Old Refill American Oak (300L). 12/10/1999 - 6/5/2025. 47.8% ABV, 349 bottles, $4,500AUD (by ballot or via The Whisky Club.

• Cask HH0056 - 25 Year Old American Oak ex-Bourbon (200L). 16/11/1999 - 6/5/2025. 47.6% ABV. 134 bottles. $4,500AUD (by invitation only) 

Sullivans Cove 25 Year Old American Oak Ex-Bourbon (Cask HH0056) (47.6% ABV, Single Malt, 25yo, 1 of 134 bottles, Tasmania, Australia, $4,500AUD)
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Colour: Medium orange golden.

Nose: Citrus / orange oil, with an undertone of dunnage warehouse "funk" (in a good way). Maple syrup, coconut oak, and vanilla milk chocolate.

Palate: Initially, big funky warehouse notes. I'm immediately reminded of the Aussie whiskies I remember tasting back in 2008, 2009. There's a toasted, bread note too, apricot and more citrus. After a good 20-30min, other notes emerge as the aforementioned notes recede into the background - aged oranges, berries, fruit spice, and even some hints of passionfruit.

Finish: Follows the palate faithfully, long and moreish, with tropical hints at the very end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 94/100 (Martin). The years have done wonders for this whisky - it's clearly Australian, but with complexity and nuance you don't often see.

Sullivans Cove 25 Year Old American Oak Refill (Cask HH0010) (47.8% ABV, Single Malt, 25yo, 1 of 349 bottles, Tasmania, Australia, $4,500AUD)
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Colour: Deep orange.

Nose: Slight warehouse funk, but more stone fruits, earthiness, and orange peels. After time, more citrus emerges - mandarin and tangerine. 

Palate: Mango, spice and just a hint of old, well-rested oak. Rich and viscous, the age and complexity is clearly evident. The slight earthiness from the nose carries through to the palate, and works well in harmony with the other notes.

Finish: Also follows the palate well, equally long, with delightful tropical hints at the very end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100 (Martin). Less "overtly Australian" than the HH0056, but every bit as complex and delicious. When this cask was laid down in 1999, 25 years clearly wasn't the goal, but I'm very glad that's how things turned out!

 

With the main event over, it was time to head to the bar to taste some of the many Sullivans Cove releases released over the previous years, that I'd missed out on trying due to living overseas. That included last year's 24 year old (closer in style to HH0056 I found, but with more dried fruit from the Apera maturation), the "dumpy" 21 (delightful), an LMDW Indie and more.

A huge thanks to the distillery for allowing us to be part of this momentous occasion in Australian whisky.

Cheers,

Martin.

TimeforWhisky.com flew to and stayed in Hobart courtesy of Sullivans Cove. 

Sullivans Cove releases Australia's First 25 Year Old Whisky (twice)

Absolutely HUGE news in Australian Whisky today, as Sullivans Cove release not one, but TWO 25 Year Old Australian whiskies - the oldest Australian whiskies ever released. A huge achievement and milestone for the Aussie whisky industry - and new world whisky in general.

Both from single casks laid down in 1999, HH0056 was matured in a 200L ex-Bourbon American Oak barrel, and yielded only 154 bottles at 47.6% ABV, available via invitation only.

HH0010 was matured in a larger 300L Refill American Oak barrel, and yielded 349 bottles at 47.8% ABV, to be available via ballot (and via The Whisky Club).

  

Given most new world whisky distilleries weren’t even around 25 years ago (and the climate in many such locations aren’t as conducive to long maturation as they may be in Scotland), 25 years is an impressive feat.

“To see two of our casks mature out to 25 years is something we did not expect.” said former distillery manager and owner Patrick Maguire, whilst CEO Andy Gaunt noted “This release is more than just a rare single cask, it’s a living record of our history, proof of what patience and conviction can achieve, and a statement of what world whisky has become.”

Having recently tried a few Sullivans Cove releases around 20-21 years old, I can say they carry every bit as much complexity and flavour as their Scottish counterparts, and I look forward to trying the new 25 Year Olds (which I'll be doing in just a few hours!)

Cheers,
Martin.

Getting re-acquainted with the Sullivans Cove range

Mention "Australian whisky" to anyone overseas, particularly in Asia, and if they've heard of it, there's a good chance they'll respond with "Oh, yes, I know Sullivans Cove"! Whilst Australia currently has a significant number of whisky distilleries (the exact number seems to be constantly changing, but is over 40 as of the time of writing), the old joke that "most Aussie distilleries make less than the Scottish distilleries spill" almost holds true, and by far the majority of this output remains within Australia.

Some distilleries (like Starward) are doing a great job of getting their product onto the world stage, but Sullivans Cove have been doing it for longer than anyone (I remember as far back as 2010 seeing Sullivans Cove in bars all over Asia, well before it won a slew of awards and gained even more fame).

On one of my recent trips back to Sydney, Sullivans Cove kindly treated Hendy and myself to a private tasting of the full core range, the rare (and very much sold out) "Special Casks", and a few other goodies too.

Over a few delicious sharing plates in The Roosevelt's private "Monroe room", we tasted 7 Sullivans Cove whiskies, including the oldest available cask (HH088, distilled in 1999), an at the time unreleased special Double Cask (DC095, now sold out), and a number of other drams which gave us a great insight into the portfolio. The full line-up included:

• Double Cask DC090 12/12/07 to 11/04/17 @ 40%
• Double Cask DC095 29/05/08 to 06/10/17 @ 49.6%
• American Oak TD56 16/11/05 to 23/02/17 @ 47.5%
• American Oak HH0088 7/12/99 to 29/06/17 @ 47.5%
• Special cask TD0231 American Oak ex-tawny 29/12/07 to 10/02/17 @ 63.8%
• Special cask TD0202 French Oak ex-Chardonnary 06/07/07 to 20/01/17 @ 47.5%
• French Oak HH0516 12/10/00 to 14/04/17

As Tasmania's 2nd oldest (currently operating) whisky distillery, and 100% Aussie owned and operated, it's fair to say Sullivans Cove Distillery (formerly "Tasmania Distillery") is firmly ingrained into Aussie whisky folklore, and whilst their earliest output in the mid 1990s may have been a bit average, they well and truly turned a corner around 1999 and now produce some fantastic Aussie whisky...which we were ready to dive into.

With the delightful Amanda as our guide, we learned about the distillery's history and current state, its philosphies, and an idea of where its heading in the future. Amanda's business card may have read "Sales and Marketing Manager", but her knowledge and passion for the distillery genuinely exceeded that of many brand ambassadors we've met over the years!

Sullivans Cove's core whisky line-up consists of "Double Cask", "American Oak" and "French Oak" - the latter two being single cask, the former being a vatting of 3-5 barrels (a mix of American Oak ex-Bourbon and French Oak ex-Tawny, mostly from Seppeltsfield) yielding ~950 to 1,500 bottles each release.

We started with the Double Cask, tasting two expressions - one a 9yo @ 40% ABV (DC090), and another 9yo @ an unusual 49.6% ABV (DC095, which went on sale soon after and rapidly sold out).  DC090 had a beautifully creamy, vanilla nose, following through to a sweet, fruity palate but then deviating to an earthy, vegetal finish. Unexpected, but enjoyable. DC095 wasn't dissimilar in terms of flavours, but they were significantly ramped up, with more creaminess, spice and (for me) tannin on the finish. Same same, but different, and I enjoyed both equally.

The American Oak range was next, with two bottlings - one 11yo (TD56), and one at a whopping 17 years old (HH0088) - Sullivans Cove's oldest available cask. Both were at 47.5%. TD56 showed some citrusy paprika on the nose, with the citrus following through on the palate and an oaky, spicy finish. HH0088 was buttery but for my palate showed some slight hints of sulphur, albeit with a lovely caramel finish. Not my favourite of the two, but still a lovely dram, and a great chance to sample the distillery's oldest wares.

The famous French Oak followed - not the really famous HH0525 which helped kick off the Tasmanian whisky boom (are there even any left in the world?!) but HH0516, distilled in October 2000 and aged at 16 years old, bottled at 47.5% ABV. With an orange gold hue, and big sweet raspberries and blueberries on the, initial impressions lived up to expectations. The palate was initially drying, but then a berry-sweetness emerged, turning to a long and "chewy" caramel-oak finish. My favourite so far.

Up until last year, a discussion of the Sullivans Cove range would have stopped there. In 2017 though, the distillery saw the first new release (two actually) in over a decade - the green-labelled "Special Casks". At $750AUD each they don't come cheap, but that didn't stop them selling out in record time. Described to us as "exceptional malts that don't fit the core range", they're evidence of some of the experimentation underway at Sullivans Cove, and perhaps an insight into some of the more unusual and interesting whiskies we may see coming in future years.

Amanda was kind enough to allow us to taste both - TD0202, a 9yo French oak ex-Chardonnay cask bottled at 47.5%, and TD0231, a 9yo American oak ex-tawny cask bottled at a not-insignificant 63.8% ABV.

The dark-copper TD0231 had a hugely syrupy molasses nose, with lots of maple syrup which amplified with water. The palate was thick and syrupy, with a decent amount of allspice accompanied by treacle-soaked dates. The finish was long, with hints of charred oak.

TD0202 on the other hand couldn't have been more different, with a light yellow-golden hue, floral pineapple fritters on the nose, sweet chocolate-coated pineapple chunks, apple and honey on the palate, and a tropical, floral finish that went on for days. Whilst Hendy's pick was the TD0231, this one was my pick of the night.

You might note that Sullivans Cove don't actually specify an age on their whiskies, although (in the "spirit" of complete transparency), provide the exact distillation dates (for the youngest whisky, in the case of the Double Cask range), the bottling date, and the cask numbers. It doesn't get much more transparent than that!

Hendy and I owe a huge thanks to Amanda for giving up her time to walk us through the range. It's not often you get a private tasting, including a number of un-released, pre-released and sold-out drams, and to try them all together was a fantastic experience.

I personally can't wait to see what "Special Casks" are released in the near future, but if the experimentation we heard about and tasted is anything to go by, I'm sure they'll be a whole lot of fun.

Cheers,
Martin.

Tasted #378 - 379: Belgrove Peated Rye and Belgrove Oat Whisky

Almost four years ago, I posted our first Belgrove post - tasting an experimental "Oat" with an Oat-led, four-grain mashbill. The distillery excited me then, and continues to excite me now, as owner Peter Bignell continues to innovate and produce whisky in his own unique way, putting out some truly fantastic products.

Based in Tasmania, the distillery came about when Peter (a sixth-generation farmer) had some excess rye and decided to use it to make whisky. In addition to growing his own rye, building his own copper pot still and peating the rye using a self-converted washing machine(!), Peter also runs the operation on biodiesel he makes from cooking oil, harvests brewing and diluting water from his roofs, and collects cooling water from his own dam.

Call it "closed loop", "green", "sustainable" or whatever buzzword you like, put simply here's a bloke making whisky like no-one else in Australia, and doing a bloody good job of it.

Peter was kind enough to send me few samples recently - of his "Oat Whisky" (@ 58.6% ABV) and a cask sample of his Peated Rye whisky (at a hefty 65.1% ABV).


Belgrove "Oat Whisky" (58.6% ABV, NAS, Tasmania, Australia, $250AUD)

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Colour: Light yellow-gold.

Nose: A little bit muted at first, but after time, creamy, tropical fruit notes emerge - pear, pineapple and a big dollop of cream.

Palate: Hugely nutty! Very unexpected. Macadamia nuts and walnuts. Oily mouthfeel. There's some creamy caramel, and lots of milk chocolate-coated Macadamia nuts. With water there's a little more fruit - pears and a hint of strawberry, but the nutty notes definitely dominate, which is unusual, unexpected and very enjoyable.

Finish: Long and full of macadamia, with some hints of oak and pepper at the back of the palate.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale):  90/100. I love an "unusual" whisky, provided it also noses and tastes good. This ticks all those boxes and more.

Belgrove "Peated Rye" Whisky cask sample (65.1% ABV, NAS, Tasmania, Australia, cask sample not available for sale, although when available the Peated Rye is $250AUD)

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Colour: Light orange-gold.

Nose: There's smoke, but it's not coastal or medicinal - it's meaty and BBQ-like. Reminds me of a BBQ'd steak topped with tangy BBQ sauce. With time there's a bit of milk chocolate too.

Palate: Salami drizzled with honey. Lots of honey in fact. Then some charred capsicum, and with water some burnt snags (sausages). Sunday arvo BBQ in a glass?

Finish: Long and campfire-smokey.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale):  91/100. Not your usual peated whisky, and all the better for it.


It's great to see Peter and his team continuing to do things "their own way", with such impressive results. I've noticed Peter has recently started providing regular updates via his Facebook page too - well worth a follow if this sort of thing interests you like it does me.

Cheers,
Martin.

Tasted #359: Heartwood "Mediocrity be Damned"

I've realised that despite being a huge Heartwood Malt Whisky fan, I haven't really posted many reviews yet. Time to fix that...

More photos from @TimeforWhisky.com on Instagram

"Mediocrity be Damned" is a single cask, peated ex-Oloroso Sherry whisky, distilled at Lark Distillery and matured/bottled by Heartwood Malt Whisky at 7 years old (at a Heartwood-esque 67.2% ABV).

Heartwood "Mediocrity be Damned" (67.2% ABV, 7yo, Cask #LD530, Lark Distillery, Tasmania, no longer available)
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Colour: Bright, rich, red-amber.

Nose: Big, of course, but not quite as big as the ABV suggests. RIchard dark chocolate, cherries - Cherry Ripe! There's a freshness, a "floral mossiness", oak, and some marzipan and nuts. WIth water, a touch fresher, more citrus and a little less oak.

Palate: A little closed at first (no surprises with the ABV - Tim Duckett of Heartwood suggests these are enjoyed from a wine glass). After some air, there's a caramel nuttiness and some fruitcake. It's slightly drying, but not cheek-puckeringly tannic. There's a buttery oakiness present throughout too. WIth water, there's a little more marzipan, whilst chocolate, dried fruits and almonds also come to the fore.

Finish: Medium legnth. Chewy, the tannins linger, along with fruit and a little earthy smoke.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. 

More photos from @TimeforWhisky.com on Instagram

Cheers,

Martin.

Tasted #317: McHenry William First Release

At a recent Aussie Whisky masterclass at Sydney's Oak Barrel (OB), Scott Fitzsimons, OB's Whisky Specialist brought a special addition. Cloaked in a black cloth at the start of the night, it was later revealed as McHenry Whisky from the William McHenry Distillery, from Port Arthur, Tasmania. 

McHenry is the southernmost distillery in the world, contrasting with Highland Park in Orkney Scotland, being the most northernmost. On the bottle, McHenry also claims to have its own pure spring water source as basis for its distillation - though let's not get into a discussion on quality of water underpinning a good dram. Led by Master Distiller Bill McHenry, the distillery produces various gins, vodka and single malt whiskies.

This was the first time I had heard of the distillery and was simply excited to sample the first release edition. 

McHenry William First Release (55% ABV, NAS, Port Arthur, Australia, $280AUD)
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A single Malt Whisky release from another distillery in Tasmania. This first release is quite enjoyable, simple and not overly complex. It would definitely suit as an everyday dram though the steep price point may be a deterrent for many.

Colour: Amber gold.

Nose: The nose is laden with honey, peppery spices, gun powder and a hint of Chinese herbal medicine. There's also a great deal of oaky aroma on the nose.

Palate: The palate is fruity and sweet at first, with pineapple and citrus notes being the prevalent notes. The palate is slightly oaky, chalky and is consistent with the oak note from the nose. The chalkiness is similar to that found on a Clynelish.

Finish: The finish is malty and leaves your palate with quite a bit of tannin. Drying.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100.

Cheers,
Hendy

Martin's 2014 Whisk(e)y predictions revisited

In December 2013 I wrote up my "10 predictions for whisky trends in 2014" (5 serious, 5 not so serious). 365 days later, after a fantastic year for whisky (and this blog), and after an amazing week of whisky distilleries and bars in Japan, it's time to re-visit those predictions and see how accurate the crystal ball was...

Serious:

1. The rise and rise of NAS (Non-Age Statement) whiskies.I'd feel comfortable saying this one was relatively accurate. We continue to see NAS whiskies proliferate in travel retail (especially in Asia), but increasingly in off-premise too. Suntory's "Distiller's Reserve" Yamazaki and Hakushu releases have replaced the 10yo / 12yo (depending on the market) as the "base level" whiskies, and they're absolutely fantastic. On the Scotch side of things we've seen new Glenmorangies, Ardbegs and The Macallans (to name just a few) in retail markets, all with no age statements. Not just at the "budget" end of the spectrum either, with whiskies like Ardbeg's 2014 Supernova and The Macallan's "Masters of Photography: Mario Testino Edition" (tasting notes up shortly) commanding premium prices.

They haven't all been winners, but the majority (including those mentioned above) certainly have been, and as the global whisky market continues to grow, I see no issues with the continuing rise of NAS whiskies....as long as they're good whiskies.

2. The rise of "New World" whiskies.We didn't see Indian whiskies particularly increase their status (that's not to say there weren't already some good ones), but we certainly saw the overall category of "New World" whiskies grow, with increased recognition of Australian whisky in particular. Just look at the Sullivans Cove win, and the rise of craft distillers like Peter Bignell's Belgrove. Not to mention New World Whisky Distillery (makers of Starward single malt), and their truly excellent young single cask releases. I expect we'll see big things from these guys in the future. Global awards perhaps? In time, I think so.

Add in Sweden's Mackmyra (who have done some very interesting things this year) as just another example, and I'd say this prediction overall was accurate.

3. Craft / quality Bourbon (and American whiskey in general) will grow in popularity in Australia. This one may take some more time, as I wouldn't say Australia has yet fully embraced Bourbon / American Whiskies as wholly as single malt just yet, but I definitely think we're seeing the start. American Whiskey tastings (like those at Shirt Bar) frequently fill up, and we even saw a SMWS Bourbon release this year sell out in a short period of time.

Give this prediction another 2-3 years and I reckon it'll be spot on.


4. Flavoured whiskies. This one definitely eventuated (ref: Ballantines' "Brasil", J&B "Urban Honey" and JD's "Tennessee Fire"). Though hey, if acts as a "gateway" to get people more interested in whisk(e)y, I've got no issues with it.


5. Stronger whiskyI wouldn't really say this one came true, though in retrospect, given the taxation on alcohol and its relation to strength / ABV in many markets, that's not really surprising.



Sarcastic / not so serious:

1. An Australian whisky will win a global award, and we won't hear the end of it for months.
Wow did this one come true!


2. The 2014 releases of Port Ellen and Pappy Van Winkle 23yo will cost an absurd amount, and will still sell out in minutes. My guess is £2,000 for Port Ellen, though £2,500 wouldn't surprise me.
£2,200 for the Port Ellen, $249USD for the PVW (though good luck finding the latter for that price). Incredibly difficult to get a hold of either. Fair to say this prediction was pretty close.


3. A new "world's most expensive / oldest" whisky will be released (and will probably taste like eating a chunk of wood).
While we did see a number of very old Original Bottlings in 2014 (two 50yo Balvenies and a 50yo The Glenlivet to name three), I don't believe we saw anything older than 70yo come out in 2014.


4. William Grant & Sons will release at least 3 new Global Travel Retail editions for 2014...and I'll try to buy them all.
Perhaps not three, but we did see a new Kininvie (17yo Batch 1) hit the Asian travel retail market, of which I may have bought one or two...(tasting notes up shortly).


5. Jim Murray will make a controversial statement in 2014, everyone will talk about it, but deep down, no one will really care.
Oh Jim....you certainly did, and it was the talk of the town. Did anyone care? Some probably did, but not me. I knew Japanese whisky was playing on the world stage years ago - I didn't need Mr Murray to tell me that (for what it's worth, having tasted the Yamazaki Sherry Cask*, I'd have to say it was good, but the single cask 11yo Spanish Oak Yamazaki I tried in Japan last week was much better! Notes up in January).

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As we end 2014, dram in hand, we'd just like to say thanks for all your support this year. 2014 saw Steph and I move to a new country, explore new whisky markets, and saw Hendy come on board to continue coverage of the Australian whisky scene (captured not just in words, but also through his stunning photography). It's been a great year for us, and we hope it has been for you too.

Hope you have a fantastic New Years celebration, and an equally fantastic 2015. Stay tuned for more posts in 2015 (covering both Asia and Australia) and expect a barrage of Japan posts (distillery tours, whisky bar reviews and 40+ tasting notes) starting in the next few days!

Cheers,
Martin.

* Admittedly the 2014 release and not the award-winning 2013 release.

This week in whisk(e)y #15

As you might know if you read this blog regularly, we get a fair few interesting press releases and news articles here at TimeforWhisky, and usually try to feature them with our own spin, experiences or comments. Sometimes though, they come thick and fast, and we just don't have time to do them all justice.

So we've decided to take a leaf out of some other excellent whisky blogs, and feature a "PR roundup" every now and then - basically a wrap-up of relevant press releases we've received in the previous week or so (including other interesting whisk(e)y news Steph & I think you might enjoy). So on with it then...

Whisky...in the sky?
No it's not a new method of whisky maturation (although we've seen space and sea maturation, so why not?) No, this is a unique event being held in Tasmania to attend a whisky tasting suspended 50 metres in the air.

"Imagine mingling in a clear roof VIP Marquee near Hobart's stunning waterfront before being lifted into the sky, 50 metres above ground level (higher than both the Marine Board & Hydro buildings) to watch the Sydney to Hobart Yachts cross the finish line. 

Guests will relax in their comfy recliner to take in Tasmania's stunning scenery, while sampling some very rare Overeem Single Malt Whisky supplied and presented by Casey Overeem himself. Accompanying the whisky will be selections of mouth-watering Tasmanian cheeses. 

The tasting table is suspended by a crane installed by a team of accredited professionals.
There will only be two whisky elevations. Casey Overeem will present on one, and Bill Lark (Lark Whisky) will present on another.

December 28 at 3:00pm - 4:00pm (Boarding from 2:30pm) - Lark
December 28 at 4:15pm - 5:15pm (Boarding from 3:45pm) - Overeem 

This is an exclusive event. Tickets are on sale now and will not last long! There are only 19 spots for public per elevation"

I love Lark and Overeem and can't think of a better way to enjoy them. If we were in the country, I would have been pretty keen for this. Tickets are available from here and are $290AUD each (18+ only).


It's a Laphroaig "Smoky Christmas" at The Wild Rover
The Wild Rover, and their Campbell Corner Whisk(e)y Co-Operative (which we've featured a few times on this site) are hosting a Laphroaig 'Smoky Xmas' on Friday 19th December, from 4pm-6pm. Dan Woolley and Michael Nouri will host an afternoon of whisky, cocktails, live music and freshly shucked oysters from Ralston Bros Oyster Farm.

The boys at "the Rover" know how to throw a bloody good party, and we have no doubt this one will be no different. Details on their Facebook page. We won't be able to be there, so have a 'phroaig for us!

"STORM" Malt Scotch Whisky
A few weeks ago at the HK Wine and Spirits Fair we came across a curious bottle of whisky called "Storm", from Lombard Scotch Whisky. Not having heard of Lombard, I enquired further and learned they have been in the industry since the 60s, as independent bottlers but also blenders, and previous suppliers to blenders. "Storm" is a vatted/pure/whatever the industry is calling it these days malt (i.e. a blend of malt whiskies only, no grain whisky) and whilst distilleries aren't provided, whiskies are described as being "influenced by the salt air and the sea" (which granted, could be one of many distilleries).

Lombard also do a number of single cask releases under their "Jewels of Scotland" label, and I was impressed to see the variety of distilleries available, some of which showed they've clearly been keeping casks for a long time (such as Brora). To quote the company:

"The collection covers the 6 areas: Speyside, Highland, Lowland, Campbeltown, Islay and Islands.  Ages range from 18 years to 42 years."

I wasn't able to take proper tasting notes of the small sample I tried at the show, but hopefully I'll be able to track the "Storm" down again (and a few of the single cask releases) and post up a proper review.

Cheers, 
Martin.

This Week in Whisk(e)y #11

As you might know if you read this blog regularly, we get a fair few interesting press releases and news articles here at TimeforWhisky, and usually try to feature them with our own spin, experiences or comments. Sometimes though, they come thick and fast, and we just don't have time to do them all justice.

So we've decided to take a leaf out of some other excellent whisky blogs, and feature a "PR roundup" every now and then - basically a wrap-up of relevant press releases we've received in the previous week (or other interesting whisk(e)y news Steph & I think you might enjoy). So on with it then...


Lark Distillery wins national business award
Not all these news items are about new whiskies (or furoshikis - see below)....sometimes they're about celebrating the great work small independent distillers have done. Especially when one of those distillers is effectively the "founding father"of Whisky in Australia. I'm talking of course about Bill Lark, of Lark Distillery who was awarded the Small Business Award at the 2014 Telstra Business Awards in Melbourne earlier this month.

Will Irving, Group Managing Director of Telstra Business and Telstra Business Awards Ambassador, said:

“Lark Distillery is a trail blazer that initiated the development of the Australian whisky industry and has now matured into a premium player on the international whisky stage.

Lark Distillery is the quintessential small family business success story. Starting with no plant, no finance and no customers, and needing to get the law changed to even start their business, Bill and Lyn Lark have been pivotal in founding whisky distilling in Australia. 

Their focus on high quality ingredients, authentic production methods, product innovation and the overall customer experience, has put Australian Whisky on the map as an internationally recognised success.”

Well deserved accolades indeed.

Suntory Whisky and Akira Isogawa celebrate the Art of Giving
Back in May we blogged about the excellent Launch of Suntory Whisky in Australia event at Sydney's Art Gallery of NSW. Good fortune found me standing next to the very friendly Akira Isogawa (renowned international fashion designer), who as we mentioned in the article, mentioned he was collaborating with Suntory on limited release packaging/scarves - details of which are now available.

To quote the press release:

Suntory Whisky has partnered with renowned Japanese-Australian designer Akira Isogawa to celebrate the Art of Giving. The multi-award winning distillery has worked with Akira to create a limited edition traditional scarf used to wrap gifts, known in Japan as “furoshiki”, which was designed exclusively for the Suntory Whisky Australian range.

Having recently expanded its luxury offering in the Australian market, Suntory Whisky is launching this exclusive collaboration in time for Father’s Day and the Christmas season. The Japanese distiller celebrates the Art of Giving each year; a concept that centres on acknowledging the joy found in offering gifts to loved ones and the power of a thoughtfully chosen gift.

“The partnership between Suntory Whisky and Akira was a natural marriage; one of Australia’s best designers coming together with the leading Japanese whisky. We are aiming to celebrate quality craftsmanship and the importance of honouring those you love with a truly unique item,” said Suntory Australia managing director, Ian Atherton. 

“With our extended range of Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki whiskies now available in Australia, we see the luxury range as the perfect gift for those who appreciate fine spirits and the limited edition furoshiki as a beautiful finishing touch.” 

Like origami, furoshiki is considered an integral part of Japanese culture. For 2000 years, the furoshiki served as a special pouch to hold personal items. Today, the ancient custom has become fashionable in Japan as a beautiful eco-friendly, lasting wrapping for gifts.  

Just 300 of the ‘Akira for Suntory Whisky’ furoshiki have been produced. The limited edition scarves will be available in selected specialty retailers around Australia from August 2014 ahead of Father’s Day on Sunday 9 September. The furoshiki will be available as a gift with purchase to wrap one of the hero whiskies – Yamazaki 12 years old, Hakushu 12 years old or Hibiki 17 years old."

As if you needed an excuse to enjoy Yamazaki, Hakushu or Hibiki, but if you're looking for a unique Father's day gift, this could be one to consider. The furoshiki will be exclusively available as a gift with purchase in the following retailers from now:

New South Wales:
- Oak Barrel; www.oakbarrel.com.au
- World of Whisky; www.worldofwhisky.com.au

Queensland:
- Cru Bar + Cellar; www.crubar.com

Victoria:
- Nick’s Wine Merchants; www.nicks.com.au
- The Wigs Cellar; www.thewigscellar.com.au
- Sea Breeze Cellars; (03) 5987 0877

South Australia:
- Fassina Liquor Merchants; www.fassina.com.au
- Parafield Airport Liquor Store; www.palsliquor.com.au




Johnnie Walker Blue Label presents "The Gentleman's Wager"
OK, so this one didn't exactly "come to us" as a press release, but it is very cool, in a "that's completely unrealistic, but damn I wish that was me" way. Watch below:

Cheers, 
- Martin.