Sullivans Cove French Oak Single Cask

Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on in Tasmania?

I can swear the whisky distillers Down Under have made a pact with the Devil. In exchange for their souls, and the souls of their loved ones, they are being given magical powers to create the most delicious whisky ever made.

I thought after tasting the Overeem Port Matured Cask Strength, another Australian Devil spawn, I would not taste a better whisky this year.

I am so elated to be wrong.

Winner of the World Whisky Awards 2014 this spirit is any where between 11 to 13 years old. Matured in French Oak Port casks my particular sample is one of 516 bottles to emerge from winning cask No. 525.

Founded in 1995 in, you guessed it, Sullivans Cove this distillery is now home to one of my favorite whiskies.

Nose: Dark chocolate. Black peppers with a touch of cinnamon. Scented tobacco. Warm hazelnut toffee covered in praline sauce. Dark fig jam and natural caramel. Very high quality leather. This is such a beautifully intense nose. It's like nosing a 60% whisky only to realize it's not even 48%.

Palate: Crisp maple syrup. Black pepper. Dark jam. Mild tobacco leaf. Roasted nuts and dry figs. Dark raisins covered in chocolate. The creamy, perfectly balanced delivery will make you salivate. While the whisky's in your mouth.

Finish: Gloriously long with a mocha caramel swirl.

Truly one of the great whiskies of the year and, for once, I whole heartedly agree with the truckload of accolades this wee dram has won.

I am so moving to Tasmania....

I initially got this as part of a DbtD package showcasing 5 Whisky Magazine 2013 winners. This was "Best Australian Single Malt". In the end, this was my "winner of the winners".

First vapor: Initial industrial rust and hot red pepper flake aroma passes. (And luckily has little to do with the rest of the experience.)

Nose: A buttery vanilla becomes a little nuttier-- rather like milk chocolate. Breathing time brings out a little banana bread and acetone, which makes that chocolate seem a tone darker.

Palate: A sweet entrance of... gummy bear candies-- really! A little punch of tutti frutti. Turns to cinnamon with banana and bitter orange; then to acetone, sweet black liquorice, and tickles of white pepper.

Finish: Definitely fruitcake on further swallowing; then becoming less sweet. Nutty exhale: macadamia or cashew.

From the first time I heard of a port matured whisky, I have hoped for a noticeable fruity influence in a malt (I am a port lover). However, I have usually found the flavors are not imparted or are far too subtle; so it's a pleasure to finally experience a malt that reveals the port aging. The 'Gummy Bear' on the palate is of course not as cheap/artificial as it sounds, but it is the closest association, and I think it's a delightfully playful addition to a dram that clearly has other elements to appreciate.

I also like that the palate is not predictable from the nose: milk chocolate turning into fruity accents makes for an energizing expression. This contrast imparts character rather than imbalance. My only wish is that the palate finished a tad sweeter to balance some of the bitterness of white pepper. But this is not a big detractor; the French Oak Cask is my "2013 winner", and I have made sure to secure my own bottle.