Tasmanian Whisky Week 2023 was the first fully fledged iteration of the event, completely free from lockdowns and domestic and international border restrictions, since the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to the several iterations of the event I’ve previously attended, there were a huge array of whiskies on offer this year, significantly more than I’ve encountered before.
There were so many whiskies to try that our usual reviewing system has been broken. Instead of deep diving into whiskies as per the usual format, I’ve decided to give you a more condensed version of 23 whiskies I tasted during the week graded using a 5-star system. Possibly overkill, yes, but I hope this gives you a fuller picture of just how much is happening in Tasmanian whisky at the moment, and how new and emerging distillers are following on from the old guard that ploughed the road.
Of course, I didn’t get around to tasting everything. Killara and Lawrenny are notable omissions, and I was hoping to tackle some Heartwood bottlings as well but I’ll hopefully catch up there soon. I’ve checked, and most of these whiskies are still available but some quickly sold out (sorry).
The old guard
Lark Rebellion Single Malt Whisky ($200) ☆☆☆
The new Lark core range is now refreshingly simple following the frenzied number of limited releases of recent years. This is the first time I’d tried the new Lark Rebellion, which is basically a toned down version of the previous Chinotto Cask bottlings. It doesn’t quite have the same boldness, richness and spice of those earlier releases, but there’s no doubt that chinotto seasoned casks gel with the Lark profile. Hats off to head distiller/blender Chris Thomson for all the crazy work he put into this. There’s now a plethora of Australian single malts matured in wacky seasoned casks, and Thomson was one of the first to pursue it in a dedicated way.
Sullivans Cove American Oak 2nd Fill 16 Year Old TD0047 ($800) ☆☆☆☆☆
This is the most recent second fill American Oak bottling released by Sullivans. Initially, virgin American oak casks were filled with Sullivans spirit in the late 1990s, back in the distillery’s dark age, decanted and then filled again with spirit in the mid-2000s for second fill bottlings (not a common method in Australia). They tend to be a bit more floral and savoury, for mine, than the classic American Oak ex-Bourbon cask bottlings, and this one is a fine rendition. High florals and fruits, buttery, waxy and earthy. Of course, you’ve got no chance of landing a bottle and the price is eyebrow-raising, but I can diligently report that it does taste very good.
Hellyers Road Dark Harmony Sovereign Stout Cask Finish ($245) ☆☆☆
Hellyers Road was probably the top performing distillery of Tasmanian Whisky Week for me. The newly designed range looks fantastic and the whiskies being released at the moment are a cut above. This is one of the newer, more experimental releases, where 17 year old Hellyers grain whisky (apparently, a bit of an experiment from way back in the day) was blended with some Hellyers single malt and then finished in a local stout cask. Super interesting, with some amazing flavours on offer. I wouldn’t call it seamless (try some of their incredible older whiskies for that) but definitely one of the more intriguing Tasmanian whiskies I’ve come across.
Overeem Bourbon Cask Matured Distiller Strength ($199) ☆☆☆☆☆
One of the whiskies of the week for me. I tried this on multiple occasions with everyone from general punters to experienced distillers and this delighted all. It’s mellow, well-matured, fragrant creaminess appeals to those looking for an easy-drinking experience but there’s still plenty of complexity to chew on for the whisky nerd. Broad appeal – it’s not something Tasmanian whisky does particularly well. This has it. Bravo.
McHenry Distillery 10 Year Old American Oak Single Malt Whisky ($195) ☆☆☆☆
This whisky is an incredible achievement for the McHenry family and everyone at the distillery. I only had a very quick taste while talking with Bill McHenry, but this is one of the most significant whisky releases to come out of Tasmania this year. It was officially released just after Tas Whisky Week and you can check out all the details here. We’ve got a full review coming soon as well. Great price, great story, beautiful whisky, too.
Old Kempton Winter Release 2023 Bourbon X Pinot Noir ($280) ☆☆☆
Old Kempton is the quiet, steady performer that’s seen adversity, put the runs on the board and is now releasing great tasting whiskies under experienced head distiller Rob Tyson. This Winter Release 2023 was on pour across the week, and it’s a rich, dark, brooding thing. A selection of small pinot noir cask matured whiskies were married and then finished in an ex-Bourbon cask. It’s jammy and spicy, with black currants, dark chocolate and length for days. It’s a pricey little bottle, but there’s good value to be found in the Old Kempton core range.
Launceston Distillery Tasmanian Whisky Week 2023 Special Release ($166) ☆☆☆☆
Like Hellyers Road, Launceston Distillery has become one of Tasmania’s leading whisky producers in recent years. The core range bottlings are consistent, well-priced and well-matured, the limited releases rarely miss, and they’re finding a growing audience in Tasmania and beyond. This whisky was specially bottled and labelled for Tas Whisky Week. Five year old Bourbon cask matured whisky was finished in a unique hybrid cask combining port staves and rum staves coopered by Transwood Cooperage. In a week mostly dominated by cask-forward malt bombs, this was refreshingly restrained: subtle accents of coconut, raisins and vanilla cake. Bottled at 46%, a welcome change-up.
Established and taking off
Spring Bay Solera Muscat Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky ($165) ☆☆☆
The newly released Solera Muscat Cask Finish is set to become a consistent offering from Spring Bay Distillery moving forward. Founders Cam and Suzy Brett have mostly dealt in single casks since they started releasing whisky in 2017, but here they’ve developed a four step system (explained in this handy video) where whisky is gradually moved through an ex-chardonnay cask, a port cask and two final muscat casks before bottling. Bound to be a crowd pleaser: wood-forward, big fruitcake, spice and stewed fruits, and good integration overall.
Hobart Whisky Chardonnay Cask Single Malt Whisky ☆☆☆☆
We tasted a preview release of this upcoming Hobart Whisky Chardonnay Cask at Evolve Spirits Bar and everyone at the table agreed it was a belter. Subtle, silky, spirit and fruit-forward with just the right amount of cask influence. Look out for its release in coming weeks.
Adams Distillery Peated Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky ☆☆☆☆
Adams Distillery unveiled two limited single malts for Tas Whisky Week: a Goaty Hill pinot noir cask matured whisky made from the distillery’s estate-grown barley, and this cracking cask strength peated Bourbon cask whisky. Big peat, grunge and roasted malt notes are tempered beautifully by the sweet caramels added from the Jack Daniel’s cask here. These are cellar door exclusives, but I also tried the core range Adams Signature Series whiskies and they’re some of the best value for money Tasmanian malts going, starting at $135 (700ml) for the flagship bottling.
IronHouse Tasman Whisky Bourbon Cask 7 Year Old ($220) ☆☆☆☆ – IronHouse Tasman Whisky The Maverick ($180) ☆☆☆
The Tasman Whisky range from IronHouse Brewery & Distillery is on the improve, and IronHouse was a crowd favourite in the events I attended, mainly due to brand ambassador Craig ‘Spillzy’ Spilsbury’s hilarious chat. The Maverick was unveiled for Tas Whisky Week, a marriage of three casks, two muscat and some port cask whisky, that had spent a year travelling on an abalone fishing boat around Tasmania. Palpably saline and fudgy, the journey clearly contributed some funky sea spray notes, and although it was a little disjointed, it’s good fun. I tried the latest Tasman Whisky Bourbon Cask as well, reportedly a 7 year old, and that was all salted toffee, pineapple, almonds and seashells – one to watch.
7K Distillery Port To Espresso Martini Cask 7KD083 ($220) ☆☆☆
Probably the most bizarre and intriguing whisky I tried during the week. This Tas Whisky Week special from 7K Distillery, founded by Tyler Clarke in 2017, was originally matured in ex-tawny for four years and then briefly finished in a cask seasoned with a batch of Espresso Martini. Straight up hazelnut cake, cocoa nibs and rum and raisin chocolate, but I found it turned a bit too dry and astringent. A wicked experiment, indicative of where Tassie’s younger distilleries are heading, and I’m really looking forward to seeing 7K’s new distillery site when they move to a beautiful spot along the Derwent River in 2024.
The Tassie new wave
Derwent Distilling Co. Peated Botrytis Single Malt Whisky ($220) ☆☆☆☆
There’s so much to like about Robbie and Emma Gilligan’s Derwent Distilling Co. journey. While building their distillery in a gorgeous spot on the Derwent River, they’ve been releasing whiskies that Robbie produced himself at other distilleries. This one was distilled in Port Arthur (presumably at McHenry Distillery) from Scottish peated barley and then matured in ex-botrytis casks. Fragrant, earthy and with a good hit of grungy peat smoke, the botrytis cask adds plenty of juicy caramel richness and this was a crowd favourite.
Battery Point Distillery Triple Cask Single Malt Release #2 ($195) ☆☆☆
These guys are bringing a real sense of fun and creativity to Tassie whisky the moment. Jack Lark was the early instigator of the Battery Point Distillery project, but head distiller Luke Lawrence has now taken the reigns, and with input from Heartwood’s Louis Duckett, they’ll be releasing some zany cask finishes and other projects in the near future. This latest Triple Cask bottling shows more balance and integration than the earlier release I tried, and I’m keen to check out some of the upcoming experimental bottlings. 
Callington Mill Blue Lake Lodge Single Malt Whisky ($195) ☆☆☆☆
I’ve tried this Callington Mill Blue Lake single malt on a few occasions and I still know next to nothing about it – where it was distilled, what it’s matured in, etc. What I do know is that it’s delicious. The components, ex-fortified wine casks, have been intelligently married together to deliver a seamless experience. The release follows John Ibrahim’s purchase (Callington Mill’s founder) of the luxe Blue Lake Lodge in the Tasmanian highlands earlier in 2023, hence the name.
Hunter Island Pot Still Whisky Cask Strength ($259) ☆☆☆☆ – Transportation Whiskey Three Sheets to the Wind ($259) ☆☆☆☆
The Hunter Island Distillery, founded by Damian and Madeleine Mackey, have continued to release some stonkingly good pot still whiskies since their launch earlier in the year. This is their first cask strength bottling, released a couple months ago, aged in ex-port and Bourbon casks, and married in a Heaven Hill American oak quarter cask. Decadent, syrupy, and loaded with spice and cereal notes. Give Hunter Island a try if you haven’t yet.
John Halton’s Transportation Whiskey is also made at Hunter Island but with a slightly different mash bill that leans a touch heavier on the oats. More spirit-forward than Mackey’s richly flavoured expressions, Three Sheets to the Wind is chewy and dense, with treacle, marmalade and a lovely spicy crackle to it.
Eden Whisky Author’s Make Single Malt Whisky ($199) ☆☆☆
Some of the most delicious new make I’ve tasted from Tasmania in recent times hails from Eden Whisky’s Wellington Park Distillery. The distillery, founded by Dale and Claire Williams, is located 30 minutes north west of Hobart and their first release landed in late 2022. There are quite a few pinot noir cask matured Tassie whiskies kicking around at the moment, and Eden Whisky’s Author’s Make is worth a look if you’re a fan of the style. It’s syrupy, citrusy, peppery and winey, maybe a bit too much on the latter, but there’s good bones here. Keen to see more of that spirit in future bottlings.
Lower Marsh Distillery Port Cask Single Malt Whisky ($160) ☆☆☆
It’s properly paddock-to-bottle at Lower Marsh Distillery, with farm grown barley malted on-site, mashed, open fermented and then distilled through a self-built pot still. Founders Steve Knight and Corey Hazelwood have done an incredible job building the entire operation, located 20 minutes east of Bothwell up in the Central Highlands, and recent bottlings are showing serious promise. This latest Port Cask offering is a marriage of 3 x 30 litre tawny casks and it’s classically Tassie: jammy, spicy and slightly meaty, but there’s a savoury cereal weight to this that takes you right to the farm.
Waubs Harbour Apsley Collab Limited Release Single Malt Whisky ($220) ☆☆☆
There’s no doubt Waubs Harbour are one of the Tassie whisky scene’s rising stars. This is their first limited release bottling – a collaboration with winemaker Brian Franklin from Apsley Gorge Vineyard matured in ex-apera casks and finished in Apsley’s ex-pinot noir casks. It wasn’t the most complex whisky on offer during the week, but it was deliciously fruity, creamy and balanced.
Bogan Road/Tasmanian Whisky Selectors KB04 Apera Cask Killara Distillery ($195) ☆☆☆☆
Independent bottlers Tasmanian Whisky Selectors are currently transitioning the business to Bogan Road Distillery, which is located on their stunning bush property in Quamby Brook 40 minutes south west of Launceston. Founders Karin and Shane Spencer know their stuff, and they’ve built up a great base of knowledge on the Tasmanian scene from sourcing various malt whisky casks. This is one of the softest, most fragrant Killara whiskies I’ve come across. Matured for five years in an apera cask, it has green fruits, peach core and a delicate through line of nutty maltiness reminding you of where it’s from.
Overland Brewers & Distillers Single Malt Whisky First Release ☆☆☆
I made sure I popped into Overland Brewers & Distillers in North Hobart, which opened its doors in 2022, to get a look at their beautiful Vendome copper stills. Overland was founded by three mates with experience in the brewing, winemaking and distilling industries and they’ve certainly flown under the radar so far.
When we arrived at the smartly designed Bar & Taproom, where the distillery and brewery are also on-site, five Overland whiskies were on pour, including a Lightly Peated Shiraz Cask single malt and a Rye Malt Tawny Cask (American-style whiskies are definitely on the cards here). The Overland Single Malt Whisky First Release was also on pour – a 2.5 year old matured for six months in a French oak Vin Jaune cask and then moved to a second fill American oak cask. This whisky was only released in late July with 10 bottles made available, half of which were put up for auction and the proceeds donated to charity. It’s only on pour at the venue currently (sorry). Intrigued to learn more about this set-up, and Overland is yet another sign of how rapidly the Tassie scene is progressing.