Sullivan’s Cove 14yo 2006/2020 for 10th Anniversary of Casa de Vinos

Sullivan’s Cove 14yo 2006/2020 for 10th Anniversary of Casa de Vinos

Official bottling
Single malt - Tasmania
Copper 
56.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, leather, dried pears, dried pineapples, white tea, roses, kiwifruit, malted grains, hints of oats. With water, parchment, dried pears, kiwifruit. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Parchment, photocopy paper, dried pears, white tea, honey, malted grains, raisins, dried pears. With water, leather, dried pears, parchment, raisins. 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, cookie dough, honey, dried pears, raisins. 

Comments: 

A very doughy whisky, lots of feinty parchment paper notes, but it’s also laden with dried fruit and tannins. It’s gentle and rich though, not mouth puckering.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Sullivan’s Cove Vodka / New Make Spirit

Sullivan’s Cove Vodka / New Make Spirit 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Tasmania 
Colourless 
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butterscotch, salt caramel, green walnuts, lemon zest, hints of white vinegar, hints of chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, airy, loose.  
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Salt caramel, green walnuts, yeast, sour cream, chocolate.  
Finish: Short. Sour cream, white vinegar, yeast, chocolate, hints of butterscotch. 

Comments: 

I suppose many distilleries do this - dilute their new make to 40% and call it vodka. This is quite characterful for vodka (although I’d expect nothing less). Lots of green walnuts, and you can see the beginning of the stone fruit notes that are present in the older whiskies. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Sullivan’s Cove Double Cask 11yo

Sullivan’s Cove Double Cask 11yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Tasmania 
Bright gold
44.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Tobacco leaf, leather, white grapes, gooseberries, hints of sour cream. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, turns watery, airy.  
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Gooseberries, white grapes, malted grains, leather, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Medium. Menthol, white grapes, coffee, gooseberries, hints of white grapes.  

Comments: 

Double Cask DC0107. This one is a little funky on the nose, with a bit of sour ferment. Again, more green fruits, grapes and leather on the tongue. Very good, although not stellar. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Single Tawny Cask 10yo

Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Single Tawny Cask 10yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Tasmania
Bright gold
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, damson jam, petrichor, peaches, white grapes.  
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slightly astringent, syrupy, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Damson jam, white grapes, greengages, chocolate, wet stones.
Finish: Medium. Damson jam, petrichor, white grapes, barbecue, gooseberries. 

Comments: 

Barrel TD0324. The port cask finish seems to have imbued this whisky with an earthy character, like earth after rain and chalky wet stones. Again, highly enjoyable and utterly delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Sullivan’s Cove Special Single Cask 11yo

Sullivan’s Cove Special Single Cask 11yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Tasmania
Golden
45.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, greengages, gooseberries, dried apricots, orange peel, candle wax. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loosens, airy. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Orange peel, greengages, dried apricots, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate, hints of autumn leaves. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, autumn leaves, gooseberries. 

Comments: 

Barrel TD0214. I feel this might be the dram most emblematic of the distillery character. Heaps of stone fruit, apricots and greengages, along with gooseberries that create this impression of an abundant harvest in an orchard. Lovely stuff. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Old and Rare 18yo

Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Old and Rare 18yo 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Tasmania
White wine
49.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, toffee, orange peel, white grapes, gooseberries, hints of cucumber.  
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, loosens slightly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apples, toffee, cucumber, brass polish, green tea, fresh baked bread.
Finish: Medium. Green tea, fresh baked bread, cucumber, gooseberries. 

Comments: 

Barrel HH0296. This whisky has lots of stone fruit, now gooseberries, alongside apples and plenty of bread on the finish. The underlying cereal notes are very attractive, and to my mind, the key reason why this tastes so good. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Single Bourbon Cask 13yo

Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Single Bourbon Cask 13yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - Tasmania
Sunshine yellow
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, honey, mint, banana bread, green tea, barley sugar, hints of malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, drying, warm.  
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Green tea, barley sugar, peaches, mint, pineapples.
Finish: Medium. Green tea, hazelnuts, honey, peaches. 

Comments: 

Barrel TD0165. Fruity and light, heaps of stone fruit and tannins. Very luscious on the tongue, plenty of flavour. Very good whisky indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Sullivan's Cove Single Cask American Oak

Sullivan's Cove Single Cask American Oak

Official bottling
Single malt - Tasmania
Copper
47.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, pears, lemon zest, red wine, raisins, leather. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose watery, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Lemons, orange peel, leather, red wine, rust, cinnamon. 
Finish: Short. Black tea, orange peel, raisins, lemons. 

Comments: 

This is gloriously sweet, complex and well-aged. Heaps of fruit, old leather, even tinges of metallic sparks on the tongue. Good tannic, bitter sweet finish. I'm well impressed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Sullivan's Cove Rare Double Cask

Sullivan's Cove Rare Double Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Tasmania
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Clotted cream, leather, tobacco leaf, orange peel, malted grains, hints of caramel. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, turns watery, loosens. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, orange peel, butterscotch, burnt toffee, tobacco leaf, hints of peat. 
Finish: Medium. Burnt toffee, leather, black tea, hints of dates. 

Comments: 

Cask no DC093. Creamy, yoghurty nose, coupled with good burnt sugar flavours on the tongue. The finish is particularly good, slightly peaty, but gloriously sweet and caramelly.

Verdict:

I like this.