Hellyers Road Distillery American Oak Whisky

12-year-old Australian whisky is as rare as hen teeth, so for $240, this is a solid deal. Being matured exclusively in ex-bourbon casks means the character of the spirit itself and the grains it was distilled from should shine here, uncomplicated by fortified wine or aggressive oak. Here, the oak is pretty dominant in a saw-dusty, sappy sort of way, and it still smells incredibly fresh for having spent so long in the cask with plenty of fresh peach goodness. At 46.2% it’s pretty hard on the palate without a lot of the creaminess or complexity you’d expect from a whisky of this age, but there are some nice grain and vanilla notes through the finish.