Hellyers Road 15 Year (2002) Cask 2234.04

Review by: Whiskery Turnip

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Distillery: Hellyer’s Road

Bottler: Distillery

Region: Australia/Tasmania

ABV: 58.5%. Cask strength.

Age: 15 years. Distilled on 22 Aug. 2002. Bottled on 25 Sept. 2017.

Cask type: American Oak

Price: N/A

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Nose: Opens with ripe orchard fruits: pears and green apples.  Quickly the fruit takes on the candied quality of Jolly Ranchers or apple flavored soda.  Earthy dried florals linger in the background with pear custard, vanilla extract, and Funfetti cake mix.

Palate: Light and sharply sweet.  Notes of hard candies, lemon juice concentrate, and a big glass of apple juice with two Sweet & Low added.  Apple cider vinegar and kombucha highlight a tangy and acidic edge which gives way at the end to green wood, bruised tropical fruits, and a mellow tannic dryness.

Finish:  Lingering citrus and sugar.

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Mental Image: College Roommate’s Homemade Kombucha

Conclusion:

This was, unfortunately, one of the most disappointing drams I have poured this year. I had really been looking forward to trying this and finally dipping my toes into the Australian whisky scene. I have heard tons of good things and the industry has grown significantly over the past two decades, especially on Tasmania. I went into this bottle with a lot of expectations, maybe too many expectations, because I absolutely did not enjoy this.

The mix of cloying aspartame, acidic vinegar, and an almost effervescent quality, did not work for me. There were some interesting notes, especially on the nose, but the overbearing artificial green apple flavor that dominated the experience was not pleasant. This reminded me a lot of Iceland’s own Flokí with its sharp flavors and bruised tropical fruits; indeed, the first time the wife tried this she remarked that it tasted like Flokí, but worse. Overall, this was not for me, not at all. I am still game to try more Hellyers Road and Tasmanian single malts, but I will be sure to temper my expectations.

Final Score: 25.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.