The news and noise associated with the explosion and proliferation of new Australian distilleries popping up everywhere tends to focus on Tasmania. New distilleries on the mainland probably feel they have to make a bit more noise for their heads to be noticed above the parapet. (I say “new” distilleries but, of course, by the time most consumers hear about or experience the product from a new distillery, the venture has been up and running for at least a couple of years). Which makes it all the more impressive and endearing when a distillery just quietly goes about its business and lets others do the talking for them. Joadja is one such distillery.
Tag: Australian whisky
Trouble brewing for the Australian whisky industry?
Pour yourself a big dram of your favourite Australian whisky and get comfortable. It’s a long read…
– – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Believe it or not, Australian whisky existed prior to 2014. Australia enjoyed a rich history of whisky distillation from the 19th century into the 1980’s before resting for a few years of silence. But it was in that fateful year of 2014 that a single cask release of Sullivans Cove won the accolade of World’s Best Single Malt, and Australian whisky suddenly lit up on everyone’s radar. But whilst Sullivans Cove’s success that year told a story for 2014, it also told a story – for those that cared – about the Australian whisky industry’s previous 20 years. And, as both producers and consumers jumped on the bandwagon, it also played a role in contributing to a brewing storm and some concerning issues now looming…
Continue reading “Trouble brewing for the Australian whisky industry?”
TIB – Tasmanian Independent Bottlers
The local Australian whisky scene continues to expand and self-cultivate. Between the many new distilleries starting up and the older distilleries bringing new and matured stock to market (plus a couple of larger enterprises starting to flex their muscles), there’s plenty to taste and get excited about. It also seems that the scene can now sustain the one last gap that remained to be filled: The Australian independent bottler. And TIB – Tasmanian Independent Bottlers – is going the whole hog.
Tasmanian Independent Bottlers is not the first Australian independent bottler (Trappers Hut possibly took that honour over 10 years ago) and there are certainly other labels around – Dark Valley and Heartwood being obvious examples. But it’s no accident that we mention Heartwood here, for TIB is Heartwood’s younger cousin.
Archie Rose Six Malt New Make – the giant stirs
As the Australian whisky revival and renaissance marches on, there are now countless highlights and spikes on the radar. Australian whiskies winning awards; new distilleries being established; new releases being launched…the scene now generates its own continuously scrolling newsfeed.
As for the Australian distillers and distilleries themselves, the field has grown to the point where there is a marked split between the craft players and the big guys that now run genuinely industrial and commercial operations.
Continue reading “Archie Rose Six Malt New Make – the giant stirs”
Visiting the distilleries of Tasmania
Are you a fan of Tasmanian whisky? Thinking of visiting Tasmania for a whisky trip, or organising your own Tasmanian whisky tour? Read on…
The pioneers of Australia’s whisky appreciation community
Interested in Australian whisky history? Who were the pioneers of the Australian whisky appreciation scene? Read on…
“The whisky appreciation scene and the whisky enthusiasts’ community is booming.”
Captain Obvious
For anyone who’s climbed aboard the hurtling whisky juggernaut in the last five years or so, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was always this way. Here, in Australia, we have brand ambassadors flying around the country and presenting whiskies to established fan bases and new audiences. We have multiple whisky bars operating in the capital cities and out in the suburbs. We have countless whisky clubs that meet regularly. We have online whisky clubs and groups that exist in various Facebook spheres. We have a selection of 40 to 50 different whiskies to choose from in the supermarket chain retailers. We have online whisky stores that ship the latest and greatest releases to your doorstep. We have whisky expos in each of the capital cities. We have distilleries opening up or establishing all across the country. Australian whisky history has not seen anything like it. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: We ain’t never had it this good before.
But it wasn’t always this way. Hard as it might seem to believe, there was a time when life for the Australian whisky enthusiast was the polar opposite. Imagine being a whisky fan in the mid-1970’s when less than a handful of single malt brands were available. Imagine going into a bottle shop in the late 1990’s and having a selection of no more than six different bottlings to select from. Imagine no whisky bars. Imagine no online whisky resources or communications. In fact, imagine no internet!
It was in those seemingly primitive times that the first pioneers and members of the whisky enthusiasts’ community of Australia set out trying to (a) source malt whisky, (b) share their enthusiasm with other people, and (c) gather together a community of like-minded souls around them.
Continue reading “The pioneers of Australia’s whisky appreciation community”
Whisky’s key ingredient
How do you make good whisky? In fact, what are the ingredients of whisky? If you answered barley, water, and yeast, then you were correct. And yet, there’s so much more…