Tassie’s distillers spirits high for world’s biggest whisky festival

Eight Tasmanian distilleries will be pouring their spirits on the world stage, putting their stamp on the international whisky scene. MEET THE MAKERS >>

Belfast Whisky Week, Transportation Whiskey John Halton, and Hobart Whisky John Jarvis at Hobart Whisky. Picture: Chris Kidd

Tasmanian whisky distilleries are presenting their best spirits on the world stage at the biggest whisky festival in the world.

Transportation Whiskey’s John Halton has wrangled Killara Distillery, McHenry Distillery, Hunter Island Distillery, Spring Bay, Belgrove, Hobart Whisky and Launceston distilleries to pour their spirits at the Belfast Whiskey Week.

“It’s a fantastic mix of Tasmanian whiskies heading over this year and we’re pretty proud to show them what has been happening down here in the whisky world,” Mr Halton said.

“We’re very much wanted over there, it’s just hard to access it.

“This year we have organised to get sales stock over there so there’ll be Tasmanian whisky to purchase which will hopefully continue permanently.”

Belfast Whiskey Week is Ireland’s largest whisky festival and could potentially be the largest whisky festival in the world.

Mr Halton said he’s excited for the Irish to get a taste of his drop because they invented it.

“The ingredients that we have, the clean water that we have, the way that we’re ageing our whisky with the environment that we have down here in Tasmania does produce a very high quality and different product,” he said.

Belfast Whiskey Week, Transportation Whiskey John Halton, Department of State Growth Trade Development Advisor Ben Wilkinson, Belgrove Distillery Peter Bignell, Hobart Whisky John Jarvis, Destination Southern Tasmania Industry Development Co-ordinator Damian Mather, Killara Distillery Kristy Lark- Booth and Hunter Island Distillery Madeleine Mackey at Hobart Whisky. Picture: Chris Kidd

Mr Halton said Transportation Whiskey will be sharing their Irish stein whisky with the world.

“It’s a triple distilled single pot still whisky so that’s an Irish style using unmalted barley, malted barley, and a small contingent of other grains such as oats rye or wheat,” he said.

“Hunter Island distillery is where I’ve been making all my whisky and they are also making single pot still whisky, so we’re the only two brands in Australia who have single pot still whisky.”

Killara Distillery founder Kristy Lark-Booth has been putting some stock aside for export despite their small scale production.

“Distilleries in Tasmania really put quality at the forefront of what they’re producing,” she said.

Kristy Lark-Booth, whisky maker at Devil's Distillery in Moonah, ahead of whisky week. Picture: Mireille Merlet

“The goal is to go over and showcase what Killara Distillery has as well as the other products that we are taking over to look for distribution over there.”

The eight whisky distilleries will return home for Belfast Whiskey Week just in time for Tasmanian Whisky Week.

Destination Southern Tasmania industry development co-ordinator Damian Mather said the distilleries heading to Ireland will have the opportunity to attract spirit lovers to Tasmania.

“Tasmania punches above its scale on a world stage,” he said.

“We know that a lot of distilleries tend to be in the regional areas which has a significant economic boost for those regional communities

“The contingent will be participating in tasting events and fine dining dinners, which is a further opportunity to showcase on a world stage the premium quality produce that we have here and hopefully entice some spirit lovers back to the state.”

Manager at Hobart Whisky, John Jarvis. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Tasmanian whisky distilleries

Belgrove Distillery, Kempton

Belgrove was the first Rye Distillery in Australia. They have a white rye whisky, rye whisky 46 per cent, rye whisky 62.4 per cent and an oat whisky batch.

Hobart Whisky, Hobart

The family-owned distillery was one of the first 10 Tasmanian distilleries. They have a core range of whisky including their signature single malt whisky.

Hunter Island Distillery, Hobart

Hunter Island is Tasmania’s original triple distiller and is one of two distilleries that produces single pot still whisky in Australia. They have a cask strength bourbon/port cask matured release and a core range matured bourbon/port cask.

Killara Distillery, Richmond

Killara Distillery is one of the few distilleries across the world that is owned and operated by a woman. Killara has a five year matured single cask, single malt Tawny Cask whisky.

Launceston Distillery, Launceston

Launceston Distillery sits in the states oldest commercial aviation building creating single malt whisky. The core range includes a matured cask strength bourbon cask and a matured tawny cask.

McHenry Distillery, Port Arthur

McHenry Distillery is Australia’s southernmost whisky distillery. The core range includes a single malt whisky-cask strength aphrodite 55 per cent and single malt whisky aphrodite 42 per cent.

Spring Bay Distillery, Spring Bay

The family-owned distillery produces whisky influenced by the sea. The core range includes a single malt tawny port cask 46 per cent and a single malt bourbon cask 46 per cent.

Transportation Whiskey, Hobart

Transportation Whiskey is Australia’s very first triple distilled single pot still whisky. The range includes a cask strength 59.3 per cent single pot still whisky.