While Australia is rightly renowned as a new-world haven for just about every craft spirit under the sun, the land Down Under’s reputation for making quality whisky is quickly establishing itself as unrivalled outside of the powerhouses of Scotland, Ireland, America and Japan. Australia’s relatively small selection of distilleries has produced a number of world-beating whiskies over the years, taking home World Whisky Awards, San Francisco gold medals, and more pound-for-pound accolades than just about any other country.
But where should you start your Australian whisky journey? Any collector worth their salt would do well to get some Australian drams on their shelf, and from entry-level drops to true collectors items, there’s a wealth of different distilleries out there to cater for every preference.
23rd St Distillery
Made in: South Australia
Our pick: Single Malt Australian Whisky
Repping South Australia, Gin heavyweights 23rd street have just taken the covers off their first ever single malt whisky, using the best malting barley sourced from Southern Queensland and matured in ex-bourbon barrels for exquisite layers of spice and vanilla. They also make a hybrid whiskey, taking a radical approach to blending by bottling mixtures of single cask scotch and bourbon.
Archie Rose Distilling Co.
Made in: Sydney
Our pick: Rye Malt Whiskey
One of Sydney’s OG gin pioneers, Archie Rose are one of Austalia’s many gin makers to diversify into making Whiskey, and they’ve had a historically good go at it. Their debut Rye whisky beat out the American competition to take home the title of World’s Best Rye at last year’s World Whiskies Awards.
Buckley’s
Made in: Sydney
Our pick: Straight Rye Whisky
Australian-owned but American made, Buckley’s is an Australian homage to one of the U.S. south’s greatest spirits — the Paddington boys sourcing some of the finest rye whisky from the States and aging it further in charred new American oak barrels. The result is some of the best value Rye you can buy right now. Perfect neat, or in a rye Old Fashioned.
Hellyers Road Distillery
Made in: Tasmania
Our pick: Single Malt Original 15 years
Thankfully not named after the early 2000’s comedian, Hellyers Road is one of Tasmania’s most acclaimed Whiskey producers, and is beginning to harness its longevity to produce an increasingly exciting range of age statement single malts. Drams as old as 15 years now make up Hellyers Road’s core range.
Lark Distilling Co.
Made in: Tasmania
Our pick: Classic Cask Single Malt
Bill Lark is the man widely credited with kicking off Australia’s craft spirit revolution, and it’s the Hobart-based Lark Distillery where this all started: the pioneer harnessing Tasmania’s Scotland-esque climate to create warming drams. The distillery’s reputation has only grown from there, and this year it was a finalist for the IWSC Worldwide Whisky Producer of the Year award. Fun fact: Lark also makes the ever-popular Forty Spotted Gin.
Limeburners
Made in: Western Australia
Our pick: Classic Cask Single Malt
The Great Southern & Margaret River Distilleries are responsible for a few great Aussie Whiskies, but Limeburners is regarded as the most premium of the bunch. Based out of WA, their Single Malts come in a range of strengths and cask types, with whisky god Jim Murray a noted fan.
McHenry
Made in: Tasmania
Our pick: Bourbon Cask 43%
One of Tasmania’s most versatile distilleries, and also renowned for its range of gins and vodkas, Australia’s southernmost distilelry occupies a hillside location overlooking the Tasman peninsula. McHenry only makes one single malt whisky in very limited batches, but it’s regarded as one of the nation’s best.
Nant Distillery
Made in: Tasmania
Our pick: Bourbon Cask 43%
The first Tasmanian distillery to set up shop making single malt in the Island State’s Highland region, Nant takes a Highland approach to its whiskies as well, channeling the area’s glacial waters and locally-grown barley to create unctuous small batch creations.
Starward
Made in: Melbourne
Our pick: Two-Fold Single Grain
Made with a quintessentially Melbourne artisan approach, Starward has become one of the distilleries truly synonymous with Australia’s new world reputation as a whisky powerhouse, making fashionable whiskies with a freewheeling approach to aging and experimentation.
Sullivan’s Cove
Made in: Tasmania
Our pick: French Oak Single Cask
The grand-daddy of Australian Whiskies, Tasmania’s Sullivan’s Cove is the nation’s most decorated distiller, having created whiskies that for the past few years have dominated some of the top categories at the World Whiskies Awards. The French Oak in particular made headlines as the first Australian whisky to take home the title of the World’s Best Single Malt in 2014, and their whiskies have been collectors items ever since.
Timboon Distillery
Made in: Victoria
Our pick: Port Expression 44%
The definition of a passion project, Timboon sits in the quiet Western Victorian village of the same name, where it resides in a disused rail shed. Even so, owner Josh Walker’s creations are gaining significant acclaim.
Source By:GQ