Whisky: Sullivans Cove "Old & Rare" Double Cask DCOR01 for Oak Barrel

Country/Region: Australia/Tasmania

ABV: 45.9%

Cask: American Oak, French Oak, Tawny Port, New Oak

Age: 9 Years (Bottled 2021)

Nose: Wood and fruit in abundance, dark and dank with polished wood, leather, walnut, citrus oil, and lamp oil; water brought more spiced molasses, caramel, and burning candle wicks.

Palate: Medium-bodied, lacquered and polished wood, caramel, fudge, molasses pastries, walnut, hints of orange, more herbal and dank at the end with tobacco.

Finish: Long with orange and herbs on the back and more spiced molasses up front.

Score: 7

Mental Image: George Shaw describes the Platypus

Narrative & Notes: Classy and rarified, the aroma led me down creaking iron steps into a dazzling wine cellar— wood and fruit hung thick in the air with a dark and dank aroma of lacquered wood and fine leather. Lamp oil and burning wicks led me to a table with walnut pastries, orange-infused cocktails, and assorted nutty nibbles. A few drops of water brought out more spiced molasses— cinnamon and nutmeg primarily— with gooey caramel and hints of chocolate. Medium-bodied and balanced, on the palate were lacquered wood and leather, caramel brownie bites, walnut pastries, and a spiced orange molasses loaf. More herbal character, dank, earthy, and musty at times, arrived near the end. At the same time, tobacco notes, subtle on the nose, came on in full force. The finish was long, with orange and herbs on the back of the palate and more molasses and spice upfront.

The aroma was woody and occasionally a touch spirited, but for all the push and pull on the nose, the palate was well-structured and orderly. The initially aggressive woody aspects of the aroma were generally well-tuned. While the flavors were well-integrated and the balance impressive, the most interesting thing about the whisky was the dank herbal quality at the end. That can be a make-or-break part of any whisky, and I find it a difficult landing to stick— but I think Sullivans Cove managed it here.

Every once in a while, the work of the master blender really stands out, and this was one of those whiskies. It toed the line between method and madness— just admire the description of the vatting to make this on the Oak Barrel website and consider that one component here literally sat in glass for a decade before they decided how they wanted to use it. I adore that Sullivans Cove provided background on the casks and the judgments made as they combined nearly twenty-year-old malts with a dash of something younger. I did find that, to my taste, the virgin oak component stood out a bit much, but clearly, there was some intentionality in that balance.

Overall, this bottle was pricy but good. Sullivans Cove does not have a lot of stocks, and there has been a massive demand for them, which made this something of a unicorn.