Sullivans Cove “Lost Cask” 24-Year-Old Single cask HB0085 (AUD$2,500) claims the title of Australia’s oldest whisky. It joins the brand’s 24-Year-Old American Oak Second-Fill Barrel (HH0004) for a spot at the top, but this release is made even more special as the low yield means less than half the number of the bottles were produced. The final run of 132 bottles will be available via. ballot at sullivanscove.com at 10:00 AM AEDT on Monday, November 18, 2024.
The story goes that Sullivans Cove found five barrels of their prized liquid in a remote part of Tasmania. Keen to bottle the whisky as soon as taste allowed, the brand vatted four of the barrels as 21-Year-Old vatted expressions—the same that won Best Australian Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards in London (2020).
Once those four barrels were released, the remaining barrel was kept because it showed serious potential.
The Tasmanian whisky distillery would release a 24-Year-Old American Oak Second-Fill Barrel (HH0004) earlier this year—and we chatted with distillery manager Heather Tillott about that release—but this new “Lost Cask” 24-Year-Old Single Cask (HB0085) is an entirely different, stand-alone single cask, distilled in a different year to HH0004. In fact, the Lost Casks pre-date HH0004 in their distillation.
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This is a very special whisky that was first distilled in September 1997 and decanted in September 2022. While it spent its entire life in oak, Heather Tillott and her sensory team carefully nurtured the last cask, choosing to finish it in a second American Oak ex-Bourbon finishing cask before it was bottled at 49.6% ABV.
“By allowing time to reveal the heart of a spirit, a commitment to collaboratively working with spirit—and never against it—is made. It is this patient and carefully considered approach which defines our philosophy of crafting single malt whisky,” said Heather Tillott, Distillery Manager.
“Single cask HB0085 embodies this like no other; in one cask we have both a representation of the philosophy and creative approach of its custodians and a significant piece in the story of Australian whisky history.”
You could count the number of people that have tried this expression on one hand, and sadly we’re not on that list, so we’ll have to resort to Sullivans Cove’s tasting notes to describe just how this “Lost Cask” 24-Year-Old Single cask HB0085 release tastes. Here’s the nose, palate, and finish notes.
- Nose: Wave of ginger and warm gingernut cookies meets strawberry musk and ripe watermelon. Underneath, hints of artichoke and olive brine add depth, while pink liquorice and zesty grapefruit brighten the aroma. Shortbread and baking spices, cinnamon and clove, linger, enriched by a creamy touch of panettone and raspberry coulis.
- Palate: Texture is incredibly thick and velvety, with notes of apple and pear juice open followed by bursts of kiwi, guava, and raspberry. Rich banana and mango milkshake add indulgence, balanced by sweet grains and custard tart with a drizzle of passionfruit.
- Finish: Ushers in candied orange peel, moving gently to honeyed whole-grain cereal soaked in milk. A hint of banana liqueur brings depth, rounded out by anise, coffee crema, and a warmth of crostoli.
Great, now we really want to know exactly how this liquid tastes… and if you want to know too, this is your last chance because Sullivans Cove “Lost Cask” 24-Year-Old HB0085 is only available via ballot at 10:00 AM AEDT on Monday, November 18, with priority access via the brands mailing list.
This is your last chance to own a piece of Australian whisky history, and while we’ll never know what Sullivans Cove has sitting in its bond store, it’s going to be a long time before we see something older than a 24-Year-Old hit the shelves Downunder. More information can be found on the brand’s website, linked below.
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