Day two: Salamanca Whisky Bar director Paul Morley accused of selling whisky purporting to be Sullivans Cove

The former head distiller of a major Tasmanian distillery has described the moment he tasted samples of whisky taken from a bar accused of selling a fake version of their product. What he said >

Paul Morley (L) – the director of Salamanca Whisky Bar – is fighting two counts of wrongly accept payment. It is alleged that Salamanca Whisky Bar sold whisky which they falsely claimed to be Sullivans Cove to the distillery's managing director Adam Sable (R).

The former head distiller of a major Tasmanian distillery has described the moment he tasted samples of whisky taken from a bar accused of selling a fake version of their product.

The now self-employed distillery consultant, Patrick Maguire, gave evidence on day two of the hearing of Salamanca Whisky Bar, and its director Paul Morley in Hobart Magistrates Court.

Both the company, which has recently collapsed, and Morley are charged with two counts of wrongly accept payment – which they have pleaded not guilty to.

It is alleged that on April 16, 2018 and April 22, 2018, the bar purposefully sold what they claimed was Sullivans Cove whisky to high-level members of the company, including its managing director and its now current head distiller.

The court has heard samples of the whisky had been taken from the bar by chairman of Sullivans Cove and father-in-law of its managing director, Ron Goldschlager, on April 22 – who had on a whim decided to investigate claims that their product was being misrepresented.

Patrick Maguire, the former Head Distiller of Sullivans Cove Distillery is now self employed as a distillery consultant.

On that day, Mr Goldschlager, managing director Adam Sable and Adam’s father, Max, had ordered “three to four” options of Sullivans Cove listed on the menu.

Mr Goldschlager gave evidence saying the whisky had been poured from a bottle with Sullivans Cove labelling at their table – before he poured the whisky into sterilised sample jars he’d purchased shortly before.

Mr Maguire in evidence said he was asked to taste the samples.

“ … I do remember one in particular, to me, was obviously not Sullivans Cove,” Mr Maguire said.

“The flavour profile was totally different … I do think that one had a peat note – a peaty taste to it – which Sullivans Cove does not do.”

Lawyer Fabiano Cangelosi in cross-examination asked him about the presence of “fatty esters” in Sullivans Cove whisky – and whether it could be proven without laboratory testing their presence in each release of their whisky.

Paul Morley, director of Salamanca Bar Pty Ltd, trading as Salamanca Whisky Bar, is accused of selling whisky which they claimed to be Sullivans Cove, to employees of the distillery. Hobart Magistrates Court.

“I would argue, yes ... they can’t be detected by nose or tongue … but they would be there,” Mr Maguire said.

“Even allowing for production errors?,” Mr Cangelosi asked – referring to previous evidence that suggested the release of a Sullivans Cove whisky that hadn’t been marketed as ‘single malt’, because of a filter that he suggested had also been used for the production of a liqueur.

Mr Maguire later agreed that it would be “possible” the sample could have been contaminated, if it had been poured from a jigger rinsed in water used multiple times, for different whiskies.

Vince Murone, director of operations at ACS Laboratories, who had tested the samples, in cross examination said he didn’t believe the handling of the samples would have caused “significant degradation” of the esters identified in Sullivans Cove whiskies.

Mr Goldschlager in cross-examination denied their visit to the bar was anything other than “impulsive” and that they had simply not wanted their “reputations trashed”.

The hearing continues.