02 Jul 2025
A remarkable milestone has just emerged from Tasmania’s whisky world. In celebration of World Whisky Day, Sullivans Cove Distillery unveiled one of the rarest and oldest single malts ever released on Australian soil: the 24 Year Old American Oak Apera Finish, Single Cask Nº HH0005. And for collectors and connoisseurs alike, this is a moment that may never be repeated.
First laid down in October 1999, the whisky spent 18 years maturing in American oak before being transferred in 2017 to an American oak ex-Apera cask for an extraordinary seven-year finishing period. Bottled in October 2024 at 51.1% ABV, the result is a single malt of immense complexity and refinement — a liquid history shaped by patience, conviction and craftsmanship.
Distillery Manager Heather Tillott described the whisky as “pure brilliance… where spirit and cask have truly married.” Its layered profile moves from chocolate, coconut and dried fruits on the nose, to velvet-textured notes of cherries, dark chocolate and citrus on the palate, with a lingering finish of macadamia, hazelnut and spice. For those lucky enough to taste it, this is not simply a finished whisky — it is a masterclass in harmony and time.
To mark the occasion, whisky lovers in Melbourne were offered a rare tasting experience at Casa De Vinos on World Whisky Day, guided by Icons of Whisky’s 2024 Global Brand Ambassador of the Year, Ally Bhana. Unsurprisingly, interest in the release was fierce — Sullivans Cove’s single cask bottlings are typically snapped up upon release, often vanishing into private collections.
The 24 Year Old Apera Finish, Single Cask Nº HH0005 was made available exclusively via ballot, adding further to its allure as a once-in-a-lifetime bottling from a distillery renowned for crafting some of the world’s most awarded whiskies.
