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Hellyers Road Original 'Roaring 40s'

malty fresh
3.1
(2)€63Australia, Single Malt

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Facts

In Tasmania's far northwest, a group of dairy farmers built a distillery. They named this whisky after the fierce Roaring Forties winds. Those same winds sweep rainwater across the island, and it feeds the spirit. The barley is local, and the whisky rests in American oak ex-bourbon barrels. The result is sweet and gentle. You catch honey and vanilla first, then soft apple and melon. A thread of cinnamon spice runs through it. A little cocoa and malty warmth round out the finish. It stays light on its feet without feeling thin. Pour it neat and let the fruit slowly unfold.

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About the distillery

Distillery

Hellyers Road

Dairy farmers built this place, not distillers. In 1956, families on Australia's remote north-west Tasmanian coast joined together as the Betta Milk Cooperative. Decades later, when dairy deregulation forced a rethink, they turned to single malt whisky instead, founding Hellyers Road in 1997. The distillery still draws on that dairy background today. Its stills are the largest in Australia, bigger even than any currently used in Scotland. That gives the spirit less contact with copper, for a fuller, oilier character. Most of the whisky rests in heavily charred ex-bourbon casks for years in Tasmania's cool, clean climate. The distillery takes its name from Henry Hellyer, a surveyor who carved the Old Surrey Road through the wilderness using only hand tools. Hellyers Road distillery still stands right on the route he built.

3.1Average rating

10Whiskies on Distilld

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About the Hellyers Road Original 'Roaring 40s'

Hellyers Road Original 'Roaring 40s' is an Australian single malt whisky made at Hellyers Road. The distillery stands in northwest Tasmania, far from the whisky world's usual map. The name nods to the Roaring Forties, the powerful westerly winds at that southern latitude. The distillery has an unusual origin story. It was founded by a group of local dairy farmers who wanted to try something new. They built one of Australia's largest single malt distilleries. The name honours the early explorer Henry Hellyer. Today the whisky reaches more than twenty countries. This single malt starts with local malted barley. It then matures in American oak ex-bourbon barrels. The spirit is non-chill-filtered and bottled at 40% ABV. That gives Hellyers Road Original 'Roaring 40s' a soft, creamy texture and an honest character. The flavour leans sweet and approachable. Honey and vanilla lead the way. Fresh apple and ripe melon follow close behind. A gentle cinnamon spice runs underneath. Hints of cocoa and a malty, grainy warmth fill out the middle. The finish is long and comforting rather than sharp. This is a friendly entry point into Tasmanian whisky. It suits newcomers who want something easy to follow. It also rewards drinkers who enjoy a lighter, fruit-forward style. Enjoy it neat to let the honey and oak speak clearly. Hellyers Road shows that great single malt does not only come from Scotland. Few Australian single malts wear their origins this openly. That makes it a proud, easygoing flagship from the island's far north.