Widely acclaimed Australian distillery Sullivans Cove has announced the release of a 25 Year Old Australian single malt expression!

That's not the only thing impressive about it, however. The release holds a historic distinction of being the oldest single malt whisky ever bottled in Australia – and one of the oldest ever to emerge from any new world whisky distillery.

The production process involves high-reflux Charentais-style alembic distillation which is said to more readily capture subtle nuance, and worm-tub condensation to enhance texture and clarity. Maturation occurs exclusively in full-size casks, which are monitored for decades and allow for slower, more harmonious integration between the wood and spirit. 

While 25-year-old expressions are by no means a novelty in the world of whisky, reaching a full quarter-century of maturation is a significant milestone for any distillery, especially outside the traditional whisky heartlands.

Since most "New World" whisky distilleries have only been founded within the last 10–15 years, older expressions by such distilleries are far and few between. Pioneering ventures like Tasmania's Sullivans Cove, established in 1994, stand as rare early examples that laid the crucial foundations for the current generation of producers.

Two special casks were laid down in 1999 by early Distillery Manager and Owner, Patrick Maguire, even as the potential for decades-long maturation in Australia was still uncertain. 

Maguire said: “To see two of our casks mature out to 25 years is something we did not expect. These casks were filled during the early days of the distillery and distilling in Tasmania. We had hopes that our locally grown barley and pure Tasmanian water would be the basis for great things.” 

Combined with the hopes that Tasmania’s cool maritime climate would be suitable for long ageing, the result was a never before seen expression. 

The landmark casks are:

• Single Cask No HH0056: Matured in a 200L American Oak ex-Bourbon barrel, yielding just 134 bottles available only through invitation. 
  
• Single Cask No HH0010: Matured in a 300L American Oak Refill cask, yielding 349 bottles and will be available via ballot. The ballot opens at 6a, (AEST), 23 

  pens at 6am (AEST), 23 October via Releases, Sullivans Cove.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team