Hellyers Road 2016 Ex-Libris Seize the Fire 8 yo

 

 

 

63,7°

Distillery : Hellyers Road - Australia

1st Fill Bourbon Barrel 

Independent Bottling 

By La Maison du Whisky

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2025

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Heavily Peated

 

 

 

At every Whisky Live Paris, we’re treated to a few bottlings from Hellyers Road, and they rarely disappoint. It’s true that a very special relationship has developed between La Maison du Whisky in France, which organises Whisky Live, and this distillery on the other side of the world. Here, an 8-year-old, aged in first-fill bourbon casks, with a production run of 206 bottles. The peat level isn’t specified, but I’d estimate it at around 30 ppm. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The peat is somewhat dry, sandy, coppery. The esters are nevertheless powerful, with herbaceous and citrus notes, including pulpy lemon and kumquat. Patinated vanilla, flower of salt, green olives, roasted nuts, smoky wood, cigar ash. On the palate, there is little expression, but good balance and still a certain character: smooth cereals, very ripe mirabelle plums, dried seaweed, and a few spices, clove, cumin. A powerful finish, though a little short, straw, brown sugar, exotic wood bark. Balsamic vinegar, candied ginger, coriander. 

 

In Short, 

It has a very distinctive character, it’s interesting and complex, with a recognisable identity, though not quite fully developed. One thing’s for sure, it’s a whisky unlike any other. I’d have loved to try the others in the range, particularly the 10-year-old, as I get the feeling this one needs a few more years of ageing to really come into its own. A lovely character nonetheless, the price is a bit crazy, otherwise I would certainly have considered buying it.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping : 

 

                                           Lost in Kyiv - Burst

Hellyers Road 2003 Collection Foundations 21 yo

 

 

 

62,4°

Distillery : Hellyers Road - Australia

1st Fill American Oak Bourbon Barrel

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated  

It's one of the oldest bottlings to come out of Australia, and indeed the southern hemisphere. Hellyers Road is a distillery that has been operating in Tasmania since 1999, and is proud of its artisanal character. The fermentation takes 65 hours, and the distillation 72 hours, which is a long time. This cask was selected by La Maison du Whisky to be part of the Collection Foundations on the occasion of the Whisky Live Paris 2024, and filled just 150 bottles. The alcohol content is incredibly high for a 21-year-old whisky, so the environment must have been very dry.

Let's Taste It : 

Fruit paste, candied fruit, rose loukoum, there's a lovely explosion of fruit on the nose, but it remains very sweet, slightly citrusy, grapefruit, clementine, and even floral. At the same time, it's very cerealy and sandy, dried cereals in a desert climate, all coated with a good vanilla bean, almond paste, coconut crumbs and acacia honey. A zest of lime. On the palate, the noble wood is laid bare with ginger and vanilla custard, ripe peaches and mashed banana. Fine herbs, thyme, rosemary, parsley, a stick of liquorice and very well-integrated spices, nutmeg, saffron. The finish is powerful and long, hazelnuts, puffed rice and damp sand. The fruit becomes white, grape, mirabelle plum, and a return of almonds and ginger.

In Short, 

It's absolutely marvellous, and above all it's highly original, truly remarkable in its character and personality. The age adds great complexity, but in no way detracts from the liveliness of the flavours. For this reason, I think it's a little masterpiece in its own way, everything is very well done, there are no real faults even if the palate is slightly below the rest. The price is unfortunately very high, but it's a rare product, so you'll have to wait for a promotion.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Troels Hammer - Botswana Girl

Hellyers Road 2004 Peated New Vibrations 19 yo

 

 

 

69,9°

Distillery : Hellyers Road - Australia

American Oak Cask 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Slightly Peated

 

 

 

I said that the Hellyers Road included in the New Vibrations collection for exclusive sale in France by La Maison du Whisky formed a trilogy. So here is the third addition, after the two 6-year-olds I mentioned earlier. This one has matured for a total of 19 years. Apart from that, the profile is similar to the first two, with not very strong peat and an American oak cask. We don't know how many bottles came out of the cask. On the other hand, the alcohol content is very high for a 19-year-old, and the maturation must have taken place in an extremely dry place, perhaps a desert, which prevented the alcohol from evaporating.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Iridescent vanilla, light iodine, cereal hints. Peat still quite present, earthy, sandy. Worn leather, abundantly greased. Animal sweat, like when horses are scared. Fruits with thick pulp, apricots, quinces. Almonds, courgette blossom. A note of exotic fruit, pineapple perhaps. Smooth and fruity on the palate, with very fine vanilla and honey. Lively spices, cloves, nutmeg. Blond American tobacco. Very long, very powerful, impressive finish. Chestnuts, cola, brown sugar, chocolate chips, grated truffles. Still quite earthy.

 

In Short, 

A highly original product, showing us the purity and strength of a truly unique distillate. It's astonishing, intense and, ultimately, good. Unfortunately, the price is beyond the reach of most people.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Circuline - Tempus Horribilis

Hellyers Road 2016 Peated New Vibrations 6 yo c. 16322.02

 

 

 

67,7°

Distillery : Hellyers Road - Australia

American Oak Cask 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Slightly Peated

 

 

 

The twin brother of its predecessor, cask 16315.10, it is similar in every way except for the cask number. Same age, same maturation, same provenance. It's obviously very interesting to see what separates them. Hellyers Road is a distillery that started production in 1999 on the island of Tasmania. They produce very little, so there are not many of the same casks. The two bottlings were picked up by La Maison du Whisky for exclusive distribution in France under the New Vibrations label. It is not known how many bottles were produced.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

This one is more mineral, more peaty, with ashy smoke, robust iodine, but also the distillery's typical cereal and earth profile with a few vegetal touches. It's sandy, almost gourmand on the whole. The palate is chocolatey with pulpy fruits, white plums, mirabelles, bananas, melon and fine spices, leading to a sumptuous finish, very powerful, long, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, cinnamon, earthy notes, chestnut, nougat and coffee. Dried meat, oil, kelp. Pinch of salt.

 

In Short, 

More powerful, more mineral and more peaty than its twin brother, but less nuanced and less balanced, so I prefer the former. On the other hand, the big common point is the devastating finish, a veritable tidal wave, which I found hard to recover from. All in all, two really impressive and well-made products. Unfortunately, the price is a bit daunting.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Solstafir - Fjara

Hellyers Road 2016 Peated New Vibrations 6 yo c. 16315.10

 

 

 

70,1°

Distillery : Hellyers Road - Australia

American Oak Cask 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Lightly Peated

 

 

 

Since they distilled their first whisky in 1999, Hellyers Road have made a name for themselves, particularly in France, where La Maison du Whisky, their official distributor, is a major contributor to their reputation. They are a tiny distillery founded in Tasmania, and their casks have to travel a lot. This one, aged 6 years, has crossed the seas to be sold exclusively by La Maison du Whisky, as part of the New Vibrations collection. It is not known how many bottles were produced.

Let's Taste It : 

Soft, cereal-like, earthy nose, with vegetal, floral, aniseed, airy, almost medicinal notes, but it's smooth, perfectly balanced, with a relatively light peat that enhances the whole. Bay leaf, beeswax, a pinch of salt. Very fruity on the palate, juicy pears, peaches and bananas, with honeyed hints and a dash of vanilla. Lively spices, cloves, nutmeg, leading to a very long and explosive finish, well-crafted nonetheless, very wide, on pepper and cola, chestnut, slightly smoky and woody.

In Short, 

A young, explosive whisky, monstrously well made. The Bourbon influence is real, but hardly noticeable. A very strong identity, which does not prevent it from being well-balanced. It takes a certain amount of audacity to sell a 6-year-old at this price, but it must also be said that the quality of the beverage is very impressive. It's too much for me though.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Ray Wilson - Propaganda Man

Hellyers Road 2004 Peated 16 yo

 

 

 

61,7°

Distillery : Hellyers Road - Australia

American Ex-Bourbon Cask 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2020

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Slightly Peated

 

 

 

Hellyers Road is a micro-distillery which began to produce in 1999 in the depths of Tasmania, just on the other side of the world. Its production does not exceed 120,000 liters of pure alcohol per year, which is very little. It's been about five years since it started to be known in Europe, and its reputation is enormous. Here we have a 16-year-old aged in a single American Bourbon cask, and sold exclusively in France via La Maison du Whisky, under the French Connections label. 192 bottles were filled. Only detail that is not mentioned, the peat rate remains an enigma, but I estimate it at around 20 ppm. Please note that there are several Peated Hellyers Road distilled in 2004, but this is the only one to be bottled at this age.

Let's Taste It : 

A fairly fruity, farmy profile, delicate candied lemon, meringue, and very dry hay. The peat is not too strong, earthy, very well integrated. Yellow fruits, cereal fragrances, good depth. Summer scents, which are not bothered by peat, it's rare. On the palate, it's a little more conventional, but well made, a bit coastal and salty, delicate and sparkling fruits, apricot, white plum. Very nice and very long finish, more farmy, biscuity, a little creamy. Ripe wheat.

 

In Short, 

It's great. A very original profile, farmy, earthy, but also very fruity, even sweet. What I like the most, it's that there's nothing to do with Islay, and even with Scotland. It has his own identity. Not how I imagined Tasmania either, but this is a good surprise. Moreover, when it came out, the price was nearly o.k. Now, more or less three years later, it's a bit too expensive for my likings, but you can still order it if you are less reasonable than me. 

Score : 90

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                          Josh Meloy - Already Dead