Great southern dram
Provenance and patience have helped Hellyers Road gain critical acclaim in the world of whisky.
In the hills of north-west Tasmania, Havenview, a suburb of Burnie, is home to Hellyers Road, the country’s oldest continually running single malt whisky distillery. That achievement isn’t one managing director Derek Charge takes lightly. “We’re so fortunate that we started the distillery in and laid down whisky in barrels years ago. As Australian whisky comes of age, it means we’re ahead of the curve.”
The mission for Hellyers Road was always to create a collection of Tasmanian whiskies that are not only an expression of the region – by using local malted barley and water – but also a showcase of the complexity and flavour that can only be achieved with long, patient maturation.
“The climate on the north-west coast is quite mild, which leads to a gentle maturation environment for the casks in our bond store,” explains head distiller Fiona Coutts (above). “Our use of large-format -litre casks and extensive ageing allows us to release whisky that has had the opportunity to develop wonderful maturity through a myriad of reactions within the cask.”
The final product is a complex spirit such as the Hellyers Road Double Cask. “We take whisky that’s been aged in American oak for five years and allow it a second maturation in French oak that had previously been used for Tasmanian pinot noir,” says Charge.
Coutts adds that “you get a whisky that combines the spice of the ex-bourbon barrels with the stewed fruits of the pinot to have notes of raisin toast, candied orange and hints of clove.”
Championing the region and the dedication of time has seen the Hellyers Road label win multiple international accolades, including most recently Best Australian Single Cask Single Malt for its Hellyers Road American Oak Years Old at the World Whisky Awards. “It’s not just the awards themselves,” says Charge. “It’s the commentary from judges singling out our product when looking for a point of difference against other world whiskies.”