Sullivans Cove – 12 Year Old Ex-Tawny Single Cask TD0318 (70cl, 47.4%)

This is a twelve-year-old single cask single malt from Sullivans Cove, the Tasmanian distillery near Hobart. It matured in cask TD0318, a former tawny cask of American oak that had previously held Australian port-style wine. The cask was filled on 22 September 2008, and the whisky was bottled on 9 April 2021 at 47.4%, giving 422 numbered bottles. It is non-chill-filtered, and its dark colour comes from the cask alone. The whisky is not smoky. The nose recalls freshly baked chocolate cake, with dried fruit and gentle oak spice. The palate is full and creamy, with sultanas, dates and dried figs alongside chocolate creams and ripe oak. The finish is medium in length and sweet, like chocolate-coated raisins.