The Story
Tin Shed Distilling Co, makers of Iniquity Single Malt Whisky, has risen out of the ashes of Southern Coast Distillers, an Adelaide whisky venture that went sour in 2012. Southern Coast Distillers was set up by three couples with a mutual admiration for whisky. Such was their interest, they decided to have a crack at producing their own malt whisky and rum, and started doing so in 2005 after they built an 80 litre still on the business premises owned by one of the partners, Ian Schmidt.
A 600 litre copper pot still of a similar design came online later, and when the results from their early distillations were matured and eventually bottled they were well-received, particularly by international whisky critics.
The rum and whisky that continued to be produced was sought after in the years following, and much was written at the time about South Australia becoming a new premium malt whisky producing region. But then one couple in the venture had a complete breakdown in relations with the other two, and the business ceased trading at the end of 2012.
Ian Schmidt and Victor Orlow (the distillery is still located on the site of Schmidt’s former flagpole business in Welland) created a new business out of the turmoil, and the first expressions of Tin Shed’s Iniquity Single Malt Whisky were released in 2015.
As with before, the quality of the whisky has never been in doubt. Victorian and South Australian barley, some of which is smoked with local Mallee root, is mashed and fermented onsite, given a long ten day ferment, twice-distilled and then matured in quality casks, often between 50–100 litres, but 100, 200 and 500 litre casks have also been filled.
There’s plenty to like about this full-flavoured whisky, and Schmidt and Orlow have been progressively filling a wide range of casks, including ex-tawny, apera, bourbon, red wine and even virgin oak. Become a member of the ‘Den of Iniquity’ (their online membership service) to find out more.
Whiskies Reviewed:
Limited release:
Iniquity Single Malt Whisky (Batch 14)
Iniquity Solera Peated Shiraz Single Malt Whisky
Iniquity Single Malt Whisky Cask Strength Gold Batch 001