This review was completed with a sample provided by The Devils Distillery, this has in no way altered the opinion of the whisky.

Through the week we’ve been talking all about Devils Distillery and their Hobart Whisky, starting with the Signature Batch 1 (S-001) on Wednesday, Thursday with the Signature Batch 2 (S-002), Friday with the Winter Feast and yesterday with the Laphroaig Cask Finish.

Now it’s time for the last and final whisky, the Destination Cellars Five Year Anniversary Release.

Independent and family owned, for over 20 years Destination Cellars has supplied the good folk of Hobart with all manner of world whiskies and spirits.

To celebrate the work that owner Todd Morrison has done over the past five years with distilleries through Hobart and Tasmania Destination Cellars held an event in September, working with the distilleries involved to create whiskies unique in character and flavour, all displaying the styles of the distilleries and of Destination Cellars. Sullivans Cove, Lark, Overeem, Heartwood and of course Hobart Whisky were all involved, so what went into the Hobart Whisky?

On the 6^th of April 2016 a 40L American Oak Ex-Bourbon Cask from Hillrock Distillery was laid down. Just over four years after it was married with a whisky from a 35L French Oak Oloroso Sherry cask from the 18th of August 2017. Finally they added to the marriage a touch of  whisky from American ex-bourbon, finished in a 200L American Oak 10 year old Laphroaig Cask. Finally it was bottled at 61.3%.

Speaking of the collaboration, John Jarvis of Hobart Whisky said “We’re thrilled with the result of working with the DC team on this whisky. A part of our brand at Hobart Whisky is playing around with casks to provide the best possible outcome, generally through cask finishes, or marriages. It was great to be able to bring this Hobart Whisky ethos to the Destination Cellars release.”

Small casks, American Oak, French Oak, ex-bourbon, oloroso sherry, Laphroaig Cask all in a collaboration between two amazing producers? Lets dive in to the whisky….

It takes some time to wake up, the whisky sleepy in the glass as it rolls around in a thick blanket of flavour. Rose petal, peaches and cream with sweet rambutans and goji berries dipped in dark chocolate. It moves to Christmas cake chock full of sultanas, raisins, ginger chunks, nutmeg, mixed spice and treacle. Soon after it has pecan nuts, pineapple and mango before coconut, jasmine and caramel.

The palate is heavy and thick, full of flavour with poached pears and boiled fruit sweets. It then moves down to maple syrup and crème brulee with little touches of smoky raspberry and blackberry coulis. Some red fruits and figs fried in dark sugar, nutty almonds toasted in the oven with some spice and a final lovely slather of strawberry jam over a chocolate digestive.

The finish last for days, dark sugar and spice rolling over roasted berries and red fruits, some well-cooked roast apple slices moving through against beautiful sugary tones.  A final brush of light smoke graces the palate as the whisky gradually eases but the flavours still kick about the palate all night long.

It’s a brilliant whisky. Hobart Whiskies previous use of multiple cask styles in a single whisky have been well done, but the marriage of the small American Oak ex-bourbon and French Oak ex-oloroso are fantastic, along with the small touch slight touch of smoke from the of ex-Laphroaig cask helps to compliment and pull the flavour together and acting as the fabric to hold the separate flavours together.

Collaborations like this help showcase the variety of whiskies that a distillery has, and to help show the community that whisky creates. That fantastic collaboration between two amazing producers can only be expressed in a song just as strong.

Absolutely fantastic.

If you want to learn more about Devils Distillery you can click here, and view their range by clicking here.

This review is not sponsored or endorsed by any whisky or distillery, Devils Distillery or otherwise, and is entirely the thoughts and opinions of the authors Somewhiskybloke.

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