Single Malt Whisky, Australia/Tasmania

The Hellyer’s Road distillery was founded in 1999 and is equipped with large stills from which a rich and smooth spirit cut is collected over 24 hours. Overflowing with vitality, this version is seeped in the influence of a multifaceted peat and unmistakably echoes the outstanding single cask #16322.02 also found in the New Vibrations catalogue. In this awe-inspiring race to the summit, one thing is sure, the Hellyer’s Road distillery is the indisputable winner.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Rich, spirited. Notes of wax, acacia honey, verbena and aniseed nuance a vegetal, medicinal (ointment), salty, marine (seaweed) and rooty peat. Allowed to breathe, the aroma palette becomes more medicinal (elastoplast), empyreumatic (turpentine, coal) and animal (bacon).

Appearance: Deep golden yellow.

Palate: Lively yet subtle. On the attack, vanilla, infused (verbena) and fruity (William’s pear) flavors lead into a liquorice, lush and salty peat that then becomes chocolatey and oily. The end of the palate is gravelly and terpenic (sleet, lava).

Overall: Long, dynamic. Notes of cut hay, white mint and agave milk refresh the palate. Confirming the peat’s herbal and rooty (ginger) evolution, the after-taste gradually becomes mineral (slate), spicy (clove, nutmeg) and chocolatey.