Young Henrys unveils 18-year-old Australian whisky

Young Henrys has unveiled its first foray into the whisky category, and what a foray it is with the release of Ramblin Man, an 18-year-old Australian whisky, born in Tasmania.

The whisky was distilled and barrelled in Tasmania in 2000, before being transported to Newtown in mid-2016. Once back in Newtown the Young Henry’s team set about transferring the whisky into Australian Apera Sherry casks, where it spent its final year before being bottles by hand in November 2018.

Oscar McMahon, Young Henrys co-founder says: “Ramblin Man has been a really interesting and unique project for us and has now spanned many years.

“It is such a pleasure to have been able to work with such a refined and beautiful spirit, especially when there is the added weight of a family story intertwined. I am really happy that the two barrels of this Whisky are now married and will shortly be seeing the light of day.”

So, what is that story and how did Young Henrys come to this point? The answer lies with Bill Claydon. Bill was a motorcyclist for the Australian Navy, an avid whisky lover and Newtown local. In 2000 Bill acquired two casks of freshly distilled Tasmanian whisky – barrels number 492 and 493 – one for each of his two children.

After Bill’s passing his son Tim, former owner of Newtown’s The Vanguard, approached his friends at Young Henrys to talk about what to do with the whisky. Tim really wanted to pay tribute to his father with a bottled Australian whisky.

Tim, Oscar and fellow Young Henrys co-founder Richard Adamson then headed to Tasmania to plan what to do with this whisky and in a Hobart hotel room coined the name Ramblin Man for the Whisky after one of Bill’s favourite Hank Williams songs.

Tim told Bars and Clubs: “I’m very proud of the whisky and it will be a very special moment when I see Ramblin Man whisky on the top shelf of a well-respected Bar.”

He added: “The Ramblin Man Whisky will forever hold a place in my heart as it will always bring me wonderful memories of my father and his passion for Whisky. It is a privilege to have such a high-calibre Whisky named in his honour.”

It’s an amazing whisky, the tasting notes describe “a nose of right citrus, pekoe tea and orange zest, burnt brown sugar, vanilla custard, raisin, walnut and honey. A balanced palate of sweet malty, cereal notes, and orange marmalade upfront through to chewy caramel and French oak, finishing with candied lemon peel and Leatherwood honey. The sweet spices and fruity viscosity ensure a thick, chewy, oily and long finish”.

The Ramblin Man Whisky is available from today through Young Henrys, with just 381 individually numbered bottles being released.