They’re the local name which took out the coveted title for the world’s best single malt whisky in 2018 and now Sullivans Cove have another surprise up their sleeves.
Say hello to the Tasmanian distillery’s limited-edition brandy, Sullivans Cove XO. The latest creation from the label comes as a collaboration with the thriving Tasmanian wine industry to offer a drink that is balances richness and complexity with a distinct Tasmanian flavour.
Head Distiller at Sullivans Cove Patrick Maguire jumped at the idea of being able to make brandy.
“After years of distilling whisky, the opportunity to work with quality Tasmanian wine was really exciting for us,” he said in a statement.
“We’ve waited a long time to see the results, and we couldn’t be happier with the quality and complexity of these brandies.”
To bring this brandy to fruition, wines from the Huon Valley region were distilled with the same techniques the label used to make their award winning single malt whiskies and aged in either French or American Oak barrels.
The first batch of Sullivans Cove XO (cask TDB0040) was matured in a 300-litre American Oak ex-tawny (Australian port-style fortified wine) barrel for nine years.
Heather Tillott who is the Production Manager at Sullivans Cove believes that their new brandies will strike a chord with single malt drinkers due to their intense depth, rich complexity and balanced elegance.
“It’s exactly what our supporters expect from us,” added Tillott.
Those keen to try it out will be glad to know that the expression will be released in two styles. XO Single Cask will allow the most complex and intriguing brandy barrels to express their unique characteristics whilst being non-chill filtered and unblended. Each cask will only produce a few hundred bottles of exceptional quality.
The XO Double Cask which is expected to land later this year will be crafted using traditional vatting techniques to create a rich and complex brandy.
So how rare are these bad boys?
Adam Sable who is the Managing Director at the distillery says that “Only a small number of barrels were produced about ten years ago and no brandy has been made since. Once these are sold out, they are gone forever”.
If you want to get your hands on a bottle of XO Single Cask brandy before it hits public release, you’ll need to join the Sullivans Cove mailing list where members get first dibs. A small number of bottles will also be available from the distillery’s cellar door in Tasmania at a price of $280 per bottle.
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