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Derwent Distillery

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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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Related Posts

  • The forgotten history of South Australian whisky
    December 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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  • Thebarton Distillery
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Instagram post 17878689414108441 NEW RELEASE: Three new Smith’s Angaston single malts have been unveiled from the Yalumba winery in the Barossa. It’s the first new release of Smith’s whiskies since 2021, with a 12 Year Old Bourbon Cask, New French Oak Cask and Muscat Cask rounding out the trio. Editor Luke McCarthy has reviewed the new bottlings and has all the latest on the release via the link in our bio. And for those not familiar with the Smith’s Angaston story, we’ve also published an in-depth profile on the history of brandy and whisky making at @yalumbawine, which is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year, in our ‘Distilleries’ directory.
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Instagram post 18025723996820159 The new Archie Rose Heritage Red Gum Single Malt Whisky has landed. This remarkable whisky was matured in native red gum casks that previously held Australian wine since the 1930s. On top of that, Archie Rose’s master distiller Dave Withers has an incredible connection to the history of these casks. Editor @lukemccarthyau has been writing about the native wood whisky trend for a number of years, and he reckons this new Archie Rose red gum malt is a genuine progression of the style. For the full chat, hit the link in our bio for an in-depth review of what will likely become one of the most talked about Australian whiskies of 2024. - Image: Archie Rose Distilling Co.
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Instagram post 18020834173800796 Top 10 Australian whiskies of 2023. It’s that time of year again, and it’s been such a pleasure to look back on the best and brightest whisky releases of 2023. For the Oz Whisky Review team’s top whiskies of the year, we keep things pretty simple. Our top 10 are drawn from categories like best single malt, best rye, best corn whisky, peated whisky, blended whisky, best bang for your buck whisky… you get the idea. As always, there were some heated arguments and disagreements on the final list, and feel free to let us know what your top picks of 2023 were. A huge thank you to everyone for coming on the journey again this year, particularly to our amazing contributors Ev Liong @queen_ofthe_dram and Julian White from @whiskyandalement. Special thanks go out to our subscribers for your support, and a big shout-out to all the producers and people who make Australian whisky happen – we’ve had an awesome time sharing your stories and tasting your fantastic work this year. Hit the link in our bio for the full article and final list.
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Instagram post 18026569882700308 Review: South Australian whisky tour 2023. To round out our recent deep dive into South Australian whisky, editor Luke McCarthy looks at 10 whiskies that show how rapidly the scene is progressing in SA. From whiskies matured in ancient fortified casks, even red gum casks, to innovative approaches with mash bills and ‘terroir’ malts, there’s a lot to like in this snapshot of the South Australian whisky scene. Link in our bio for the full rundown.
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Instagram post 18024466384851049 The South Australian distilling industry is booming. Over 100 distilleries can be found in South Australia today, and over two dozen of them are making whisky. But, unbeknown to many, South Australia has a long, mostly forgotten history of whisky production stretching back to the free colony’s earliest days. Some of the state’s most iconic wine names including @penfolds, @yalumbawine and @seppeltsfield have all made whisky in former eras, and the remnants of SA whisky distilleries can still be seen today (when you know where to look). To find out what happened to these long-lost distilleries and their whiskies, dive into the story of whisky making in the wine state in our latest long read. Link in bio. 📷 - State Library of South Australia: - Seppeltsfield Distillery, 1896 - Engelbrecht’s Pioneer Distillery, approx. 1890 - The Phoenix Distillery at Stepney, 1880 - Milne & Co employees, 1900
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Instagram post 18003950165055000 First Look: Kilderkin Goldfields Single Malt Whisky. Ballarat’s Kilderkin Distillery have just unveiled their inaugural five year old Goldfields Single Malt Whisky. Kilderkin was the first distillery in the Ballarat region since the closure of the incredible Warrenheip Distillery in the 1930s, a famed ghost distillery that once produced some of the finest malt whisky in the country. Today, Kilderkin are flying the Ballarat malt whisky flag once again, and here we’ve got a review of their first bottling. Link in our bio for the full story. Photo – @medadesignau
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Instagram post 17981527685569382 “Unlike any sherry cask whisky you’ve come across before…” Following Morris Whisky's recent launch of Smoked Sherry Barrel – a bold follow-up to their Smoked Muscat bottling – editor Luke McCarthy explores the new dry sherry smoke bomb that's bound to polarise peated whisky fans. Link in our bio for the full review.
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Instagram post 17972640938429533 Review: Hellyers Road all grown up – 21 Year Old American Oak and Voyager Cask 19 Year Old. The Hellyers Road American Oak 21 Year Old Cask Strength bottling was recently released, and it's certainly a levelling up in age and price from one of Tasmania's oldest distilleries. Here we put the new bottling through its paces alongside the Hellyers Road Voyager Cask 19 Year Old, and clear-up some curious historical claims while we’re at it. Link in our bio for the full review.
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Instagram post 17887010306919715 New Release: South Australians have a new single malt whisky to celebrate with the release of Barossa Distilling Co's Gallus Single Malt Whisky. Six years in the making, this first single malt from Barossa Distilling's Neil Bullock was initially matured in ex-Bourbon and tawny casks before being finished in a Saury French oak Muscat cask sourced from a local Barossa winery. Hit the link in our bio for the full story behind the release plus a review of the inaugural bottling. . . . - Image: @barossadistillingco
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Instagram post 17971151954419837 The new $85 Archie Rose Double Malt Whisky has arrived. What does the release 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 talked to Archie Rose master distiller Dave Withers to get the lowdown on one of the biggest Australian whisky releases of the year. Link in our bio for the full story and review. . . . Image - @archierosesyd

Latest Reviews

  • 23rd Street Kangaroo Island Barley
    December 12, 2023 82
  • Woodwater Distillery Red Gum Single Malt WHisky
    December 12, 2023 80
  • Fleurieu Hunting of the Snark Single Malt Whisky
    December 12, 2023 92
  • The Bird Single Malt Whisky
    December 12, 2023 89
Oz Whisky Review is an independent online magazine for anyone curious about the Australian whisky industry. We taste and write about whisky through a creative, critical and honest lens, and revel in bringing you the stories and histories behind this fascinating industry.
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