After a brief AGM (see the results here), we turned our attention to a few  drams from a few corners of the globe.

Hellyers Road Original 10yr

A Tasmanian whisky, this base level single malt from Hellyers Road Distillery is one of the few Tassie whiskies in a reasonable price range, retailing at $94.99 and holding a score of 90 in the Jim Murray Whisky Bible.

On first pour, this was rather floral on the nose. To drink, there were sweet flavours like light honey with somewhat of a burnt sugar taste at the back of the mouth. While this is not a peated whisky, some members found the burnt sugar flavour to be close to a light peat. The palate was very simple in the mouth and had almost no tail whatsoever.

Not necessarily a terrible whisky, it was rather simple and had a lot of room for improvement, especially considering the price tag. It scored an average 6.66 out of 10.

Hyde No.3 ‘The Aras Cask’ 6yo Single Malt

Note: I discovered after the tasting that this was not in fact a single malt whisky. It was an Irish Whisky made from pure corn and barley, triple distilled in a ‘Coffey Still’ and aged for 6 years in bourbon barrels.

This was definitely a step up from the first whisky. It was still light in flavour but kept tasters interested with a slight cherry brandy taste and good alcohol burn. The wood flavour from the bourbon barrels carried across and there was even a smell that reminded you of a wood cottage. It had a consistent warmth rather than a sudden burn, with caramel and honey notes.

A step up and a good winter drink, but still not matching its $100 price tag. It scored an average 7.2 out of 10.

Nikka from the barrel

Members may be surprised to discover that this cask strength Whisky was actually a blend, made from single malts of the Miyagikyo and Yoichi distilleries.

It was a refreshing change to the night as it presented a much deeper, thicker, well-rounded flavour. There was almost an aniseed flavour initially, which evolved into a rosy, Turkish delight type sweetness. It was pretty non offensive for a 51% whisky, and you could pick up the woody notes from the barrel. Although it holds no age statement, everyone agreed that this is a whisky that would stack up against 12 year olds.

The favourite of the night, and good value at $80 a (500ml) bottle, it received an average 8.35 out of 10.

Armorik Double Maturation Single Malt

It’s unfortunate that this French whisky had to follow the Nikka, as this newer distillery (running just over 12 years) has been turning heads in the Whisky world.

It had a very light flavour with elements of peat and some spiced cider. It was refined as far as single malts go, but lacked the complexity of the Nikka. Some even considered it to be fairly flat with hardly any taste at all. Those who enjoyed it had to admit that the flavour dissipated far too quickly.

In spite of the higher $130 price tag, it scored an average of 6.66 out of 10.

Next month’s tasting will be Wednesday the 2nd of August. We’re still putting a selection together so keep an eye on your email or the facebook page for more info closer to the date.

Slainte,
Nath Martyn
Chieftain