The World Whiskey Review: Hellyers Rd Pinot Noir Finish Single Malt and Penderyn Welsh Gold Single Malt


Today it’s time for a little jaunt across the wild plains of world whisky, that is whisky from countries that are not part of the big three traditional whisky producing players of Scotland, Ireland and the United States. For today’s review we are getting in some considerable air miles. First stop is Tasmania and Hellyers Road Distillery before a brief pit stop in Wales, a country that used to be just a one hour flight away for me, to look at a core release from Penderyn Distillery.

Tasmania itself seems to be going through a major whisky production boom much like Ireland. In fact I count roughly 44 distilleries on Tasmania now. Amazing considering the country is roughly the same size as Ireland but with only 1/8th of the combined population of the island of Ireland.

Even more amazing is that Hellyers Road Distillery describe themselves as Australia’s oldest operating whisky distillery which is remarkable since they only began distilling in 1999. Currently the distillery has a range starting with the at least 5 year old Double Cask up to the 21 year old American Oak single cask. The prices are fairly sizeable too, ranging from $120 AU (£62) for the Double Cask to $1350 AU (£695) for the 21 year old.

Located just outside the town of Burnie in Northwest Tasmania on Old Surrey Rd, a road that according to their website only became such because explorer and cartographer, Henry Heller, was tasked to chart the rugged and naturally beautiful bush landscape. To accomplish this he had to cut a trail through the bush in 1827. Fast forward to modern day and the distillery is named after this Aussie trail blazer.

The expression I’m reviewing today is discontinued but seems to be the predecessor to the current double cask. Both expressions having been first matured in 200 litre ex bourbon barrels before an undisclosed finishing period in ex-Tasmanian Pinot Noir casks. All whiskies distilled in Hellyers Road are also bonded and aged onsite. For the core releases of the Double Cask, Journeyman, 7 year old Peated (which uses peated Scottish barley for its mash bill), the 10 year old and 12 year old single malts all whiskies are bottled at 46.2% abv and are non chill filtered and natural colour.

The Pinot Noir finish bottle I had was originally around £55/€66/$72 and was gifted to me.



Next up we visit Pontpren in the Brecon Beacons which is in the South of Wales. While not a country that is historically linked to whisky production, distillation can be traced back to the 4th century AD in Wales. The Temperance movement of the nineteenth century saw the production of whisky discouraged and so the last distillery of note founded in Wales was in 1887 in Frongoch by RJ Lloyd Price. The company, the Welsh Whisky Distillery was not a successful concern and was sold to William Owen of the town of Bala for £5000 in 1900 before finally being liquidated in 1910.

Fast forward to the year 2000 and the foundation of the Welsh Whisky Company was announced. This would later become Penderyn. Production at the distillery commenced in 2000 also and the first whisky went on sale in 2004, the first commercially produced for a century. 

Thanks to Penderyn there are now eight distilleries in Wales, three of which are owned by Penderyn. They have the original distillery still in the Brecon Beacons as well as another close by in Swansea known as the Copperworks Distillery. Their third distillery opened on 17th May 2021 and is in the Old Board School on Lloyd St of Llandudno and has been used to produced their first peated spirit.

The process at Penderyn is rather unique as you can see here. They use a Faraday Still which while having a body similar to a standard pot still has a neck that is plated like a column still which is then attached to a second column. This means that they can, much like a traditional column still, produce a very light spirit with high alcohol.....92% abv to be exact. The spirit is then cut to 88% abv. That sounds a little too close to rubbing alcohol for me. 

A second Faraday still was installed in 2013 and in 2014 they also installed more traditional 'lantern' stills as they call them or pot stills as we know them. This allows the distillery to play around with different whisky styles although the Faraday stills will be the signature stills from the distillery. The still set up is interesting because if the Faraday still was used in Ireland or Scotland it would have to classified as a grain whisky, not a malt. 

The expression being viewed today is a no age statement offering that has been first matured in ex-bourbon barrels before being finished in ex-madeira wines casks. It's bottled at 46% abv and there was no indication as to whether it is chill filtered or coloured. I bought my bottle in my local Sainsbury's where it normally retails for £40 but I got it on offer for £30/€36/$39.

Let's taste.



Hellyers Road Distillery Pinot Noir Finish Single Malt 46% abv

Nose: Vibrant - strawberry lace sweets, wood polish, pencil shavings, fresh butter, pine resin and chamomile. Malt and a damp cellar.

Palate: Spicy and a little alcohol forward. Vanilla, toffee, strawberry laces followed by a quite forward new make note with tart citrus and a floral element.

Finish: Short with youthful alcohol, citrus pith and spicy tannic oak.

Score: 4 out of 10



Penderyn Welsh Gold Single Malt Whisky 46% abv

Nose: Spirity but pretty fresh and clean. Honey, vanilla, malt, unripe apples, a florists shop, cream soda, sawn oak and lime juice.

Palate: A light mouthfeel. A lot of oak initially. Feels youthful and spirity. Graham crackers, honey, vanilla, apple and a hint of pineapple. Ground ginger. A bitter lemon note follows from start to finish. It feels like the alcohol hasn't completely integrated.

Finish: Dry with a lot of alcohol heat, tart citrus, green apples and a strong perfumy note.

Score: 3 out of 10


Overall: We've covered quite considerable air miles with these two releases and sadly the trip hasn't really been worth it. 

Admittedly my experience with Tasmanian whisky is limited to only Belgrove, Lark, Overeem and Sullivans Cove Distilleries. With at least 44 distilleries in Tasmania operating it looks like I have a lot of further exploration to do. But to be honest the higher entry fee that a lot of these whiskies have means I’ve been put off and I have kept exploring closer to home.

The Hellyers Road started off well with a really lush, vibrant and enticing nose but sadly the palate was unable to keep up with it with the alcohol quite apparent. It was an okay dram but there were obvious flaws and not a bottle I'd have made a repeat purchase on even if I could have.

The Penderyn really was not up to much at all for me, especially at the price point. It's funny how certain distilleries just jar with you and like Jura I think Penderyn is one of those for me. To be honest it tasted like a young and immature grain whisky with too many harsh alcohol notes. I've have tried single casks too that promised much but failed to deliver and so far I've yet to find a Penderyn that I've truly connected with. I don't like to give up on distilleries so perhaps the day that Penderyn strikes a chord with me is yet ahead.

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