I have to admit, I was pretty surprised to hear about the origins of today's whisky. After all, it's not everyday you learn something about Tasmania, let alone find out they actually made pretty good whisky!

Today's whisky comes from the Hellyers Road distillery, the distillery with the largest production volume in Tasmania with a still capacity of 30,000 liters and one of the best-selling Australian craft whiskies.

The distillery is located northwest of the island of Tasmania on the edge of Burnie, a small town with around 20,000 inhabitants. It gets its namesake from Henry Hellyer, the first European explorer to travel in the interior of northwest Tasmania. He was chief surveyor of the Van Dieman Land company, and after he carved out a path in the Australian undergrowth in 1827, the road was named after him.

The distillery's insignia and cork-caps represents a road stretching out beyond the horizon. (Image Source: Hellyers Road

As the story goes, a group of 50 dedicated dairy farmers united half a century ago to establish something called the the Betta Milk Co-operative. In the early 1990s, the visionary Chairman of Betta Milk inspiring his fellow farmers to embark on a new venture: single malt whisky production. The distillery was ingeniously constructed within the dairy company's existing premises in 1997, and the first new make spirit was born two years later.

Today, Hellyers Road is known for embodying Tasmania's lush countryside, consistently utilising local resources such as Tasmanian-grown barley and pure Tasmanian water to contribute to its whisky's distinct regional character.

Fun fact: The distillery uses malted barley is made at the Cascade Brewery in Hobart made, the oldest brewery in Australia. 

At Whisky Live Singapore 2024 we had the opportunity to taste Hellyers Road's oldest expression yet. The 21 Year Old Single Cask is something of a historic first for the distillery and the Australian whisky scene. Aged for 21 years in a first-fill American oak ex-Jack Daniel’s Bourbon barrel, it is Australia's oldest single cask whisky to date.

Let's get stuck in!

Hellyers Road 21 Years Old American Oak Single Cask Single Malt, 55.9% ABV – Review

Tasting Notes

Nose: Rich and sightly feinty, with a full-on caramel sweetness, like a confectioner's dream. Opens with thick vanilla and caramel popcorn notes intertwined with the malty backbone of barley malt, maltose candy. Honey cake drizzled with brown sugar syrup, along with a mild warm sweetness of poached pears accented by some orange oil.

Palate: Intense, warm and lustrous. It mirroring much of the nose with decadent sweetness. Thick brown sugar leads the way, followed by a wave of toasted nuts – almonds, peanuts, and honey-coated peanuts. It’s viscous and oily, a rather delightful textural feel to it. Then some toffee notes weave through the nutty profile, with warming spice that culminates in creamy Mexican hot chocolate. Heat continues to build throughout, with the gingerbread-like spice that reaches the intensity of dried chili flakes and some liquorice.

Finish: Long, nutty and slightly dry. Lingering notes of toasted almonds and peanut brittle give way to a growing dryness from the oak. Some toasted coconut flakes that transition to a lighter sweetness of honey, orange cake and elderflower cordial.

My Thoughts:

This is a powerhouse of flavour, intense in both its decadence and punchiness. It’s got remarkable depth, unfolding like a diving trip down a Mariana Trench of caramel and spice, with new nuances emerging here and there.

It's a generous, chewy and rewarding whisky that showcases the classic Hellyers Road DNA we've come to appreciate, but amplified to new heights of indulgence. The 10 Year Old would offer a pretty good glimpse into this distillery's character, but this 21 Year Old expression elevates it to the next level.

*Suspiciously racoon-like noises*

Contributed by @Definitelynotthreeracoons