Favorite Australian Whiskies

Well i've only had a chance to formally taste one Australian whisky (see lark review i posted yesterday), but i'm extremely eager to get into more Australian stuff.

I've recently purchased Heartwood's Release The Beast which is an independant bottling of Lark distillation that was aged for 3 years in port casks then a further 4 years in Australian sherry casks. I will be writing up a review as soon as it arrives and i have the time to try it.

Any particular expressions from Hellyers Road and Southern Coast that you like the most?

@Chookster The Beast sounds aweomse!

For Southern Coast, I think it was Batch 3 that I ended up taking home...

@WHSKYLVR Their website is definately worth a browse if you're interested; www.heartwoodmaltwhisky.com.au

There's some pretty big claims being made about the quality in the reviews section about The Beast by a few esteemed Australian whisky personalities, but i will just wait to see for myself.

Wow, still over 65% alcohol after 7 years of aging...

Heartwood are doing some great things. Sitting on stocks of good Aussie whisky and bottling casks when they're ready. I will some day open my Convict Unchained (a whopping 71.9% ABV after 11 years of aging).. don't think I'm ready for that right now.

Very interesting topic. I sadly have never had an Australian whiskey so i am looking forward to reading this thread and seeing some great recommendations.

@Chookster...here's a positively glowing review from the WWW forum from one of their Australian members (I'm almost certain that he has no affiliation with lark or any other Australian distillery).

whiskywhiskywhisky.com/forum/viewtopic.php/…

(someone else refers back here to Connosr wrt the article on the use of port casks in Australia in the WWR).

I am anxiously awaiting the opening of my sole Australian bottle, the Sullivan's Cove Double Cask, which was very favourably reviewed here awhile ago. It was a great surprise of a Christmas present from a good friend of ours in California. Has anybody had this bottle recently? Comments if you have...

@Pudge72 The Double Cask is my fav mainstream Sullivan's Cove expression so far.

@Pudge72 - mine should arrive in the post in the coming days and i should have a review up by the weekend.

In terms of the Sullivan's cove; I had both the double cask and french oak versions at a whisky show. Both seemed to be of high quality but my perceptions were perhaps altered by how late in the event it was...

As most people know I'm a huge Limeburners fan, love just about all of their releases, some more then others. Enjoyed most of the other ones, however I do have a Hellyer's Road Peated that I find at best ok which makes me upset :D

I thought the Hellyer's Road Original was magnificent, balanced, intensely floral and mouth-wateringly delicious.

For me, the standout Aussie Malt has been the Sullivan's Cove Cask; 60% abv. matured in French Oak Casks that had held finest Australian Port, this is truly special, spicy, delicious with an incredible nose and a finish that lasts and lasts. It comes in the most attractive, old fashioned bottle I have ever seen; it is, alas, only 500ml. but makes a wonderful decanter when one is pondering what to do with a litre of choice Malt. 1x500 + 2x200ml. + a few goodly sized drams = 1litre.

Unfortunately Aussie Malt Whisky is outrageously priced for the most part! It is certainly excellent but...

Is it twice as good as the Ardmore Traditional, I'm currently drinking? I think not!

Slainte!

Yeah, the Double Cask Sullivan's cove is excellent!

Prices fro Australlian whiskies are higher because of excise taxes. But, when compared to scotch prices in Australia, the home made stuff is a good deal. I saw a bottle of Glenfiddich 18 Year with a $240 AU price tag in Sydney!

@A'bunadhman - from the few Australian expressions I've tried (the port cask influenced that is) I've thought to myself "Geez, is there some quality port casks being used here or what?". The quality of the port previously in the cask is in my mind surely a huge factor in what's raising Australian whisky's profile.

@Chookster: Absolutely! And there are a few tricks, like insisting that 4 or 5 litres of port are left in the cask to keep it fresh in transit - The port is drained (and not necessarily discarded, either) and the Cask is filled immediately with the the new spirit. Gordon & MacPhail were masters at assessing the quality of a Sherry cask prior to bottling and assigning it to the new spirit or to a Whisky that would benefit from a Sherry finish (they probably are still masters, but how many people in the UK.drink the better Sherries?).

@SquidgyAsh I agree, the Hellyer's Road peated I found average, at best.... possibly below average.