Hellyer's Road Hellyers Road Pinot Noir Finish

Australians like a good wine just as the next person, so why not a wine finished whisky? Hellyers Road has a single malt that was finished on port casks, but I was as yet unable to put my hands on that one. I did manage to get this Pinot Noir Finish, though. It matured on bourbon casks first. There is no age statement, which leads me to believe it is their 6 year old, bottled as Original, but with a wine finish. Note that all Hellyers Road whiskies are bottled at 46,2%.

This is indeed the honeysweet version of the Original. Besides the freshly cut grass and vanilla, apples and citrus, I also get nice hints of strawberry and rhubarb. Some chocolate and even cuberdon. There is also a floral element Think Hyacinth. On the nose, this works very well.

It is very creamy on the palate, which I quite like. But unfortunately also a bit sharp. The wine tries its best to soften things up, but underneath the sweet layer is a big bitterness. Then again, it also sports some woodsmoke, making it nicely spicy and even a bit smoky.

In the medium long finish I get some parsley and even dill next to the vanilla and honey. I kid you not!

I am in dubio about this one. The sweet wine did a good thing here, but could not wholly mask the bitter character of this young Hellyers Road. Between 70 and 90 EUR, which I find too much for what you get.