Sullivan’s Cove Sydney Whisky Fair 2014 ~ 47.5% (The Oak Barrel)

• Category: Tasmanian single malt whisky
• Origin: Tasmania Distillery
• Bottling: Bottled exclusively for the Sydney Whisky Fair 2014 by The Oak Barrel
• ABV: 47.5% ABV
• Cost: ?
• Score: 90/100

What they say:

This whisky was matured in American oak cask HH0049 before being decanted and transported to Sydney where it was finished in a 20 litre French oak cask for 57 days. This smaller cask matured within the Oak Barrel store until the cask was tapped and filled into 200ml bottles.

This whisky demonstrates a prounced oak influence while maintaining the hallmark Sullivan’s Cove traits. At once collectable and too enticing to let reside in a collection.

This 20L cask was for the Oak Barrel exclusively and was unveiled at the 2014 Whisky Fair to members and guests.

What I say:

Sadly I didn’t get the chance to go to Australia and sample the delights of the Sydney Whisky Fair. I did however take part in a competition run by John Whissky on Facebook in which the winners received samples of the exclusive bottlings for this event, bottle by The Oak Barrel.

Colour:

Amber gold with copper highlights (9/20), thick and heavy tears

Nose:

Icing sugar, vanilla, cereal grains, fruity, red wine? grapes, brambles, blackcurrant, tannic, Sherry fruits?, spirit and feinty, white grape and white chocolate, nutmeg, citric and creamy like lemon mousse, grapefruit and caramel

Taste:

Light vanilla cream, cereal barley malt, wheat, cinnamon, popcorn, drying and tannic, creamy caffe latte, hazelnut, caramel, toffee covered popcorn

Finish:

Short, sweet and spicy, bubblegum and vanilla cream

Overall:

Another hugely enjoyable Sullivan’s Cove whisky, rather enticing on the nose moved through red wine, sherry and white wine. A shame some of these fruity flavours didn’t quite come through in the palate as the nose suggested, but a much more caramel/toffee palate was found with some fo the residual drying and tannic influence of the French Oak cask finish. Many thanks to John Whissky and The Oak Barrel!