Hellyer's Road Hellyers Road 12 Year Old

Havenview, the village where the Tasmanian distillery was founded in 1997, offers – as the name suggests – a nice view of the harbour. This area was inaccessible until 1827, when cartographer Henry Hellyer built a path. The area is now mostly known for its dairy cattle. It were the local farmers who founded the distillery that takes its name from the explorer. This 12 Year Old is their bestselling malt, which is exported to over 20 countries.

The nose is not that different from the 10 Year Old. A bit more white bread, maybe. In fact, it is less fruit, I feel. A hint of marzipan, nuts and apples, but mostly gooseberries. After a few moments it becomes a bit sweeter. Lightly burnt caramel, I would say.

It is nicely creamy in the mouth. Immediately honeysweet with a burnt edge (just like on the nose), feisty spices and a soft bitterness. Think apples, pears, coconuts, but also green herbs and oak. Nuts, again, and quite a bit in fact. This reminds me even of some nut oil.

The finish is medium long, feisty and sweet.

I know that age does not always says it all, but this 12 Year Old is clearly better than the 10 Year Old, not to mention the NAS (which is said to be around 6 years). But quite expensive in my neck of the woods: around 80 EUR.