Hellyers Road Peated Single Malt

Nose: Peat smoke, soot, faint traces of sea salt and the slightest hint of iodine. A bit of green apple, vanilla, and camphor wood. [The scent from the drying glass starts as fragrant floral peat smoke, then shifts to sooty wood smoke as it dissipates]. Palate: A sweet woody smoke upon entry. A spirity chili heat develops alongside a light fruity note and numerous crisp seed spices - anise, fenugreek, coriander, white pepper. A touch of chocolate. Good mouthfeel. Finish: Medium length. Light bonfire smoke that transitions into a clean, crisp, and slightly spicy, salty, sweet aftertaste. This was made with peated malt imported from Scotland and it has an aroma (though not a taste) similar to an Islay. The nose is good, comparable to Caol Ila but less deep and complex. Nevertheless, it's fresh, crisp, and very satisfying with a slightly maritime character. The palate is far less like an Islay; the smokiness is more akin to campfire smoke than peat-reek. It is, however, well-balanced and confident, and the hot, spicy distillate character of Hellyers Road pairs particularly well with peat smoke. It's a very enjoyable dram and, in my opinion, the best Hellyers Road I've sampled from their "lower tier" core range. Their whisky often seems too young and basic, with an excessively spicy palate, but youth and heat work well with peat, as demonstrated here. I'd recommend this dram; if there were slightly more complexity throughout, I'd rate it 4 stars. "Above Average": 81/100 (3.5 stars).

My expectations were high, but this proved to be a significant letdown. A friend's sister obtained a bottle for me during her travels to Sydney, and it was not worth the journey – I should have requested a nice Shiraz instead.

First smoke, then sweetness... but strange together. Like caramel with ham. I'm not sure. Better on the second try, but still too sweet.

A quality spirit. The peat character is more akin to some peated Speyside malts than those found in Islay.

Smoky but not excessively so. Slightly sour. Refreshing.

Incredibly good!