November 2025
Highwayman Blackest Friday #3: Peated Fino Sherry
Created Exclusively for The Whisky Club
The Highwayman rides again. This year’s Black Friday limited edition is a heavily peated Fino Sherry single cask at 55% ABV, bottled exclusively for Members of The Whisky Club.
Australian, Peated, Single Malt
Colour
Burnt toffeeNose
Maple bacon, brown sugar, marmalade and bonfirePalate
Red berries, orange peel, building into roasted coffee and campfire marshmallowsWhat makes this whisky so special
If you’re not already a cult follower of Dan Woolley’s craftsmanship, you’re about to find out why the Highwayman’s motto is: “The Grim Reaper is there as a warning – treat it with respect or it will disrespect you.”
Every drop of Highwayman Single Malt Whisky is crafted by Dan, who sees through end-to-end production all by himself; even the bottling of the final perfected product with its hand-sealed wax tops. Dan uses the highest quality barley in a long, slow fermentation and careful five-hour distillation, to ensure the spirit produced can pair perfectly with his rich, mouthwatering cask regimen.
The Whisky Club’s third annual Black Friday release is a one-off, heavily peated Fino Sherry cask, ready to fly off the shelves in another sold-out release. That peat is sourced directly from Scotland; as Dan explains it, it’s “nothing like Islay, but has a hint of saltiness that gives it the really nice earthy, salty-savoury DNA that Highwayman is known for.”
Coupled with the dry white wine notes of Fino Sherry (a youthful, deliciously dry and nutty Sherry), we’ve got a limited edition bottle of maple bacon, marmalade and roasted coffee with a gluttonous finish of campfire marshmallow, set at 55% ABV. And you can bet it’s non-chill filtered, with a naturally thick, almost black colour.
How does he do it? Dan’s been on the whisky scene for a couple of decades now, working across the globe for Japan’s Yamazaki, the USA’s Maker’s Mark, and Scotland’s Benriach. There’s no place like home though, and his whiskymaking skills have been rightfully impacted by his close relationship with Bill Lark, the godfather of Australian whisky we all know and love.
Created exclusively for The Whisky Club, this hand-bottled micro-batch is extremely limited, a smoky decadence that’s here as a once-off for Black Friday 2025.
Not a Member? Join free now to get your hands on our upcoming releases.
Bottle size: 500ml
The Specs
- Price
- $249.00
- Age
- No Age Statement (NAS)
- ABV
- 55.0%
- Maturation
- Heavily peated Fino Sherry cask
- Country
- Australia
Highwayman’s History
Highwayman Whisky is a testament to the relentless dedication and unwavering commitment of the indomitable Dan Woolley.
For the past decade, Dan has been a prominent figure in the world of whisky, proudly serving as one of Australia's most sought-after Whisky ambassadors. His journey as the quintessential Highwayman of whisky took him on countless adventures, traversing thousands of miles with a bag full of liquid gold, captivating and educating whisky enthusiasts along the way.
During this time, Dan gained an exclusive backstage pass to iconic distilleries globally, weaving through the landscapes of Scotland (especially Islay), Kentucky, Tasmania, and Japan. This journey not only deepened his hands-on understanding of production but ignited an unparalleled passion for the art of whisky maturation.
In 2016, Dan embarked on a personal odyssey, laying down his own spirit in carefully selected casks. The first ten batches were sourced from his favourite distilleries across Australia, then taken to coastal Byron Bay, NSW, where they matured gracefully under Dan's watchful eye. Simultaneously, Dan began acquiring the necessary equipment to bring his distillation dreams to life. Through a serendipitous alignment with Lord Byron Distillery, production of new make spirit on his own still commenced in 2018.
Fast forward to mid-2020, and the culmination of Dan's life's work took the form of Highwayman – a symphony of flavours crafted for whisky lovers to savour. The inaugural bottlings, a testament to his passion and expertise, flew off the shelves within minutes.
Now, a new chapter unfolds in Highwayman Whisky's story, marked by the release of the first-ever 100% Byron Bay single malt whisky. The process is a meticulous dance where local barley is milled, mashed, fermented, distilled, and aged in an exquisite array of oak casks, all meticulously orchestrated at the Lord Byron Distillery. Handcrafted in micro batches and bottled at cask strength, this pure expression of artistry stands as a testament to Dan's vision and passion.
Distillery Facts
- Region
- New South Wales
- Origin
- 7/4 Banksia Dr, Byron Bay, NSW 2481
- Founded
- 2016
Member reviews
Here’s what’s coming up for Members
THE OLDEST EVER 100% ISLAY BARLEY BATCH
November 2026 Whisky of the Month
Bruichladdich Islay Barley Unpeated 14 Year Old, Club Exclusive Batch
The oldest ever 100% Islay barley Bruichladdich batch is coming, and Members of the Club get it before anyone else in the world. “This is Bruichladdich at its absolute peak.” Unpeated, 14 years old, made entirely using the rare remnants of 2011’s vintage stocks.
