Hellyers Road Distillery Aurora Australis Single Malt Australian Whisky (700ml)

Other reviews... Previously only available in Europe, Aurora Australis is now available to Australian consumers. As Hellyers Road's most affordable single malt whisky, coming in at just under $100 and bottled at an approachable 40%, it's the gateway into their more premium and higher abv products. Its pale colour suggests a higher proportion of bourbon casks than many of Hellyers other releases, but there's still plenty of juicy fortified wine on the nose. Light, bright, and youthful, plenty of aggressive spirit jumping out of the glass. The character of excellent Tasmanian malted barley is immediately present, but despite the big nose, the palate is a touch watery at 40%, while still hot on the finish. Lots of nice characters and complexity, but it is buried under its youth and aggressive spirit. Non chill filtered. 84 points - winecompanion.com

A story tied to a Roman goddess—one could only marvel at the idea of the Romans setting foot in Tasmania (a bit of historical humour there). Colour: white wine. Nose: unexpectedly ultra-fermentative with waxy tallow, roasted artichoke, pickled mushrooms, rainwater, bison grass, ale, and a whiff of mentholated tobacco. An intriguing bouquet that works surprisingly well, though one must question the decision to bottle it at 40%; by the time it reaches Europe, it’s likely shed a degree or two (just a cheeky thought). Mouth: quirky and delightfully so. Strongly fermentative, smoked with an indeterminate natural element, peppery, woody, and bitter, but all wrapped with a pleasant touch of bitter orange and deeply dark chocolate. The emphasis on its idiosyncrasies in this base expression is commendable, especially with that meaty sweetness emerging as it opens—honey and chilli-glazed beef jerky, perhaps. Finish: fairly long, quite bitter, and smoky, showcasing smoked paprika and cocoa powder. Comments: a ‘free whisky’ much like ‘free jazz’—bravo for resisting the lure of the typical PX or mizunara finish. A true, ethical whisky, unapologetically non-mainstream.
85 points - whiskyfun.com