Stories
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Top 10 Australian whiskies of 2023December 31, 2023
The Oz Whisky Review team select their picks for Australia’s best whisky releases of 2023.
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Barossa Distilling Co launch Gallus Single Malt WhiskySeptember 23, 2023
South Australians have a new single malt whisky to celebrate with the release of Barossa Distilling Co’s Gallus Single Malt Whisky. Check out the full story behind this new Barossan single malt plus our review of the first release.
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Tasmanian Whisky Week 2023: the trends, the triumphs, the takeawaysSeptember 03, 2023
Editor Luke McCarthy reports on Tasmanian Whisky Week 2023. Catch-up on all the latest from the Tasmanian scene with this deep dive into the weeklong celebration.
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Whisky festivals are back, booming and finally getting a refreshApril 16, 2023
Whisky festivals are back in action. And while editor Luke McCarthy has had reservations about the festival circuit in the past, a number of new whisky shows have him excited for the future.
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Hunter Island Pot Still Whisky unveiled – a Tasmanian take on Ireland’s signature styleFebruary 25, 2023
Damian and Madeleine Mackey launch Hunter Island Tasmanian Pot Still Whisky, their take on Ireland’s renowned Irish single pot still style.
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That Boutique-y Whisky Company ‘Return to Oz’ with new collectionJanuary 27, 2023
That Boutique-y Whisky Company unveil a new series of Australian whisky bottlings with ‘Return to Oz’, a follow-up collection to the ‘Australia Series’.
Just in
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Review: Archie Rose Heritage Red Gum Cask Single Malt WhiskyFebruary 24, 2024
Editor Luke McCarthy explores Archie Rose’s remarkable Heritage Red Gum Cask Single Malt Whisky.
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Review: Ned Grand Reward Australian WhiskyDecember 30, 2023
Our review of Ned Grand Reward Australian Whisky, the latest release from Melbourne’s Ned Whisky and set to become the pinnacle of their range.
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Review: Cape Byron Viognier Cask Single Malt WhiskyDecember 28, 2023
This third release from Cape Byron Distillery sees ex-viognier casks from Inkwell Wines add a delicious extra dimension to the tropical and malt-driven Cape Byron spirit.
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Review: Upshot Bandit Australian Corn WhiskeyDecember 27, 2023
Our review of Upshot Bandit Australian Corn Whiskey, the latest release from Perth’s award-winning Whipper Snapper Distillery.
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First Look: Kilderkin Goldfields Single Malt WhiskyDecember 11, 2023
Kilderkin Distillery release Goldfields Single Malt Whisky. The Ballarat distillery, owned by Chris Pratt and Rebecca Mathews, has slowly built up its whisky stocks since starting production in 2016 and here we review their inaugural bottling.
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Review: Morris Smoked Sherry Barrel Single Malt WhiskyNovember 26, 2023
Editor Luke McCarthy looks at Morris Whisky’s latest limited edition offering – a dry sherry smoke bomb that’s bound to be a conversation starter.
Whisky Reviews
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Review: South Australian whisky tour 2023December 12, 2023
A snapshot of the South Australian whisky industry. Editor Luke McCarthy reviews 10 whiskies from the wine state that show how far the South Australian industry has progressed.
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Review: Archie Rose’s $85 Double Malt and a step change for Australian whiskySeptember 17, 2023
The new $85 Archie Rose Double Malt Whisky has arrived. What does it mean for the Australian whisky industry? How does it taste, how does it mix, and will bars and retailers get behind it? Editor Luke McCarthy explores one of the biggest Australian whisky releases of the year.
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Review: Tasmanian whisky report 2023 – from old guard to new waveSeptember 03, 2023
Following all the latest releases from Tasmanian Whisky Week 2023, editor Luke McCarthy looks at a whopping 23 Tassie whiskies that show how the industry is progressing.
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Review: Manly Spirits Coastal Stone Xplore Blended WhiskySeptember 02, 2023
Manly Spirits’ sharply priced Coastal Stone Xplore blended whisky has landed. Bound to be one of the most significant Australian whisky releases of 2023, we talk to Manly Spirits co-founder David Whittaker for all the details behind the release.
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Review: Amber Lane Silk Road Single Malt WhiskyAugust 20, 2023
Inspired by Cognac maturation, Amber Lane’s bold and moreish Silk Road expression is one of the most well-thought out Australian malts we’ve tried in recent times.
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Review: Animus Distillery Single Malt Whisky First ReleaseAugust 19, 2023
First look at Animus Distillery Single Malt Whisky. The Kyneton-based distillers have a devoted fan base of gin lovers, now there’s Animus whisky to get excited about.
Distilleries
Interviews
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Interview: Tim and Bec Polmear talk Waubs Harbour origins and maritime malt whiskyMay 13, 2023
Editor Luke McCarthy talks to Bec and Tim Polmear from Waubs Harbour Distillery about the journey to now and what to expect from their new maritime malt whisky.
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Interview: Damian and Madeleine Mackey on their distilling journey, Hunter Island Whisky and Tasmanian single pot stillFebruary 25, 2023
We chat to Damian and Madeleine Mackey about their new Hunter Island Whisky project and the future of pot still whisky in Australia.
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Islay meets Byron Bay: Eddie Brook and Jim McEwan launch their take on Australian single malt whiskyOctober 01, 2022
Eddie Brook and Jim McEwan talk Cape Byron Distillery’s whisky launch, Australian single malt, ‘fruit juice’, and what to expect from their unique partnership moving forward.
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Interview: Vanessa Wilton and David Whittaker on the launch of Coastal Stone WhiskyAugust 28, 2021
Following the release of Manly Spirits Co.’s Coastal Stone Whisky brand, we talked to co-founders Vanessa Wilton and David Whittaker about the journey to now.
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Interview: Patrick Maguire on Sullivans Cove and the future of Australian whiskyApril 09, 2021
Patrick Maguire, the pivotal figure in the development of Sullivans Cove, talks whisky prices, native grains and how he sees the Australian industry progressing.
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Interview: Dave Withers talks single malt and the new top secret distillerySeptember 28, 2020
Interview: Dave Withers from Archie Rose talks single malt, whisky regulations, red gum casks and the new Botany distillery.
Recipes & Bars
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Joey Tai’s ‘Dawning Star’ twist on the Rob RoyMay 13, 2023
Hospitality legend Joey Tai from Melbourne’s Flower Drum creates a rich and brooding Rob Roy using Starward Fortis.
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Lachlan Watt’s ‘On Every Corner’ – a fresh take on KinglakeFebruary 17, 2023
Lachlan Watt shows us how a high quality single malt like Kinglake’s O’Grady’s Stand can be turned into a refreshing summer classic.
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A Tasmanian riff on the Penicillin CocktailJanuary 17, 2023
First created by Australian bartender Sam Ross of Milk & Honey fame in New York, here’s a Tasmanian riff on this modern classic.
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Australian whisky and cocktails – to mix or not to mixDecember 01, 2020
Mixing whisky can be a bizarrely divisive topic. But with another hot Australian summer on the way, will we see more Australian whisky in cocktails and mixed drinks this season?
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Ode to whisky bars and growing up – via Brisbane, Glasgow, Tokyo, etc.April 02, 2020
While bars are currently fighting to stay afloat, a whisky bar hop shows us what we might miss.
Australian Whisky Archive
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The forgotten history of South Australian whiskyDecember 16, 2023
South Australia has a long, mostly forgotten history of whisky production. Unbeknown to many, some of South Australia’s most iconic wine names (Penfolds, Yalumba, Seppelstfield) have released whisky brands in the past. Now, with the spirits industry flourishing, we dive into the long-overlooked story of whisky making in the wine state.
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Australia’s dram – a history of the nobblerSeptember 12, 2021
Australia once had its very own term for a pour of spirits – the nobbler! Here we uncover the rowdy origins of this vintage call and find out how it became so ingrained in Australian drinking culture.
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Warrenheip DistilleryMay 29, 2021
The Warrenheip Distillery (Brind’s Distillery), was Australia’s most renowned 19th century malt whisky distillery. Built in 1863, it hailed the start of a new era of Australian whisky production.
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Derwent DistilleryOctober 23, 2020
The original Derwent Distillery, Tasmania’s second legal still, started life as a brewery (sort of) before eventually turning to distilling in 1823.
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Victoria DistilleryAugust 07, 2020
Victoria Distillery, built by Thomas Aitken, the founding father of Victoria Bitter, produced triple distilled malt whisky in the late 1800s.
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Corio DistilleryApril 30, 2020
Unearthing the complicated story behind Corio Distillery, a giant of Australian whisky production.