Australia’s Whisky History Could be Yours

It’s not every day you get the chance to pour yourself a glass of an Aussie whisky milestone. So, we’re absolutely thrilled to give Members the chance to get their hands on a piece of Aussie whisky history: the Hellyers Road 21 Year Old Single Cask #2157.05 — the oldest single cask Australian whisky ever officially bottled by a distillery.

Hellyers Road on the north-west coast of Tasmania, is the country’s oldest continually operating whisky distillery. It’s one of the pioneers of modern Australian whisky, along with Lark, Overeem and Sullivans Cove. 

The distillery was licensed in 1997, and since then it's been continuously mashing, fermenting, distilling and maturing all its single malt whisky in the same distillery. The original distillers, Brian Poke and Brian Halpin, laid down whisky early on and set them aside for long-term maturation. 

Hellyers Road has the biggest stills in Australia. The size of these stills helps give the distillery a unique and distinctive flavour profile. With less reflux in their massive still, the spirit has been designed to spend a longer time in cask than most Australian whiskies. That means Hellyers Road sits on the largest aged stock of whisky in the country.

Fully matured in American Oak, Hellyers Road 21 Year Old Single Cask #2157.05 was filled on 6 June, 2002 and has “matured beautifully,” according to Acting Head Distiller Fiona Coutts. 

“I understand why this cask was set aside early during its life for longer maturation”, Coutts says. ”The juice in 2157.05 is absolutely delicious. I am very fortunate to be beneficiary of the foresight from Pokes and Halpin, who earmarked casks for extensive maturation early on, allowing us to live up to our position as Australia’s oldest continually operating whisky distillery.”

 The bottle joins the ranks of significant Australian releases such as Sullivans Cove 21 Year Old, the “former oldest Australian whisky.” Originally released for $1,800 bottles now retail on auction sites for upwards of $4,000 and more than $5,000 on the secondary market. 

As the oldest ever official distillery bottling of an Australian single cask whisky to date, and proudly made by the oldest continually operating distillery in the country, Hellyers Road 21 Year Old Single Cask is an extraordinary piece of Australian whisky history and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for whisky collectors. 
If you’re not a Member yet, join the Club free now to get your bottle.