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Showing posts with label Interviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Interviews. Show all posts

Cooper King Distillery: Making the Old World, New Again

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Cooper King Distillery: Making the Old World, New Again

Inside a disused stable block just north of the historic English city of York, is a space reserved for a shiny copper still unlike any other within 17,000km. Designed and constructed in Tasmania, Australia, this still will soon travel from the opposite side of the world to become an integral piece in Abbie Neilson and Chris Jaume’s Cooper King Distillery; an extraordinary endeavour to undertake considering the amount of copper still manufacturing experience to be found in the UK. So why source a copper still from somewhere that wasn’t even settled by British explorers at the time the first whisky distilleries began to appear in Scotland? Well, to understand that, you need to retrace the steps of not the first settlers but those of Abbie and Chris, who set out for Van Diemen’s Land some 111 years later.

In 2014, Abbie and Chris, a successful scientist and an architect, set out across the seas in search of adventure and a break from the stresses of professional life.
Abbie and Chis on Tasmania's Overland Track.
Their journey led them to the island of Tasmania at the southern tip of Australia, where they visited each of the state’s whisky distilleries at the behest of a whisky blogging friend. At that time, Tasmanian Whisky was just emerging onto the world stage with relatively unknown Sullivan’s Cove Distillery having recently taken out the World’s Best Whisky for their French Oak Cask single malt at the prestigious World Whiskies Awards. The Tasmanian whisky industry was abuzz at the prospect that whisky from their little island could beat the traditional whisky producers at their own game. Who then wouldn’t be caught up in this excitement and think they could perhaps take something of this new world back to the old one?
We fell in love with Tasmania instantly,” says Abbie, “the welcoming people, the rugged landscape and of course the phenomenal food and drink we tasted thanks to the state’s many small-scale producers. 
Our visits to the whisky distilleries in particular, blew us away,” Chris adds, “we were meeting folk with incredible passion, relatively little industry experience, and an infectious Tassie ‘can-do’ attitude. They were approaching the challenge of producing whisky from all angles: we saw all manner of distillery buildings, stills, grains etc being used, and the end results were stunning. We came away from each distillery with a ton of questions which the next distiller would then answer. Though the more we found out, the more we wanted to know. We began to realise that to start a distillery you didn’t necessarily have to have Scottish roots or a £10million bank balance; it could be done on a small scale, on a limited budget, without compromise of flavour. The hands-on production techniques used by these guys, coupled with the limited volumes produced, was yielding some of the best whisky we had ever tasted. 
The seed was sown!” Abbie continues, “we had been whisky fans ever since our first trip to Edinburgh, we both enjoyed a challenge and we loved the thought of working together to craft a delicious spirit for us and others to enjoy. Over the next 18 months while away from home, we undertook training with Dean Jackson and Bill Lark of Redlands and Lark Distillery fame, visited countless other distilleries and tasting events, and wrote up our business plan. We were ready to hit the ground running when we returned to England late 2015. 
Tasmanians are a proud lot, island folk, fiercely independent of the ‘mainland’ but at the same time exceptionally accommodating.

There are few secrets in the Tasmanian whisky industry and everyone knows everyone; often not just on a professional level, but also on a personal one. Being a ‘local’ goes a long way when looking for help to start your own distillery, but that doesn’t mean you can’t become an honorary local if you show the same drive and passion for whisky as the local producers. Bill Lark, affectionately referred to as the Godfather of Tasmanian whisky, recognised the drive and passion in Abbie and Chris and took them under his wing, helping to impart his own knowledge and experience of which they would need plenty when they got back home.
Bill Lark and others in the Tasmanian whisky industry taught us a lot,” Chris revealed. “We learnt never to compromise on flavour, to not be afraid to challenge tradition and to go with our gut instinct. We also learnt the importance of provenance. People want a genuine story to get behind, and being able to visit the distillery, meet the makers, see the casks maturing and taste the whisky in the place where it’s made makes that bottle so much more than just a well-designed, well-marketed product. 
Bill Lark gave us lots of sterling advice,” adds Abbie, “especially around the business model and how we could potentially grow. He said to follow our instinct and that’s stuck in my mind ever since. Mark Nicholson, Dean Jackson, Peter Bignell, Casey and Jane Overeem, William McHenry, David MacLennan… All these fine fellows helped shape our distillery, offering at the time (and continuing to do so) fantastic advice and guidance. 
That was nearly 18 months ago and construction work at Cooper King Distillery is now underway.
Chris with Belgrove Distillery's Peter Bignell.
The copper still may be destined to become an integral and highly visible Tasmanian influence on this fledgling distillery but Abbie and Chris intend to implement much more of what they learned from their Colonial teachers. Tasmanian distillers are acutely aware of the ecological strengths of their beautiful island and they aim to both utilise the pristine natural resources and protect the environment that produces it. Tasmanian distillery Belgrove sets a benchmark for sustainable craft distilling. Founder Peter Bignell grows his own rye, made his own copper still from scratch, collects rainwater from the roofs of his sheds, heats it with biodiesel that he makes himself from waste oil (which also powers his tractors, forklift and truck), feeds his livestock used whisky mash and recycles waste water for irrigation. This focus on sustainability was not lost on Abbie and Chris as Chris explains:
We’ve sourced local barley (some of which we are hoping to have grown in the field next to us), partnered with the country’s last master cooper whose workshop is a 30-minute drive away, and are self-building the distillery. Much like the Tassie distilleries we visited, we want to produce a craft spirit with genuine provenance, in a space that we’ve designed. We’ve also been on a steep learning curve regarding the funding and running of a business. We’ve successfully applied for an innovation grant, a tree-planting grant, and for another to research into how we can reduce and reuse our distillery waste. We’ve also been pitching to investors and bought on a select few to part-fund the build. All of this has been completely new to us, incredibly challenging, all-consuming, but ultimately very rewarding! 
Comradery is something we have been trying to foster amongst the emerging English whisky distilleries,” adds Abbie, “inspired by the Tassie scene back in 2014. We produced an English whisky map to help inform the public of the fledgling industry and have been on a couple of 1000mile road trips around the country in our tiny Renault Clio, purposefully to visit as many of the other distilleries as we can and strike up a friendship. There’s still a few more to visit yet, and I hope our visits will lead to some exciting collaborations. 
Cooper King Distillery launched their Founders’ Club in May.

The Founders' Club is designed to provide the last piece of the funding puzzle which will allow Abbie and Chris to fire up the stills and get spirit flowing by autumn/winter this year. Members will be rewarded with first-release products, rare bottlings, distillery merchandise and lifetime membership. Abbie had this to say about the Founders’ Club:
We can't wait to welcome other fine fellows into the Cooper King family to share in the exciting times ahead. Our Founders make this whole project worthwhile; they will be the first to reap the rewards when the stills start flowing with our unique English spirit. 
Cooper King Distillery will be offering numerous Founders’ Club reward tiers ranging from £30 upwards, which will make great gifts for whisky and gin lovers. Memberships are limited and are on a first come, first served basis, so those who want a piece of the action are encouraged to act quickly. You can sign up to the mailing list here for more information and be informed of future developments.

The student becomes the master.

Australian distilling would not be where it is today without the influence, expertise and investment of early settlers and immigrants, but the local industry Down Under has matured into something much more than a mere clone of its European ancestors. It is now at the stage where unique Australian lessons and successes are being exported back to the UK and in a serendipitous turn of events are making the Old World, new again. There are certainly exciting times ahead and I look forward to visiting Abbie and Chris at Cooper King Distillery next year when I travel to the UK.
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Interview with Heather Swart

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Interview with Heather Swart

Photo © Anne Gigney

Thank you for agreeing to this interview, Heather; would you kindly begin by introducing yourself and your current position and duties at Sullivan’s Cove Distillery?
Hi Shane, thank you for having me along. I am a distiller at Sullivans Cove. The average week for me would include running the still through wash and spirit runs, ensuring new make spirit is diluted accurately prior to maturation, preparing and filling a bunch of barrels, sniffing and/or tasting the various liquids throughout the wash-to-bottle process, rolling many barrels, determining spirit cuts, a whole lot of liquid transferring, sharing a cuppa and a yarn with the bloke who delivers our wash, diluting matured spirits to their determined bottling strengths, monitoring the flocc settling process of our whiskies just prior to bottling, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, being the whisky fairy who makes sure the bottling line always have something to do, speak lovingly to Myrtle our still, patting the barrels, and of course a whole heap of tests and data entry to document the lot (sans the sweet nothings to Myrtle and the barrel patting). I’m also responsible for quality control in the distillery, which is a new role and one that I am really enjoying at the moment.

Where does your interest in whisky come from and when did you know you wanted a career in distilling? 
Hubby and I moved to Tasmania, and wondering what all the fuss about whisky here was, figured ‘when in Rome.’ Sullivans was the first stop, and after one sniff I quickly realised that my presuppositions about whisky needed drastically re-thinking. An existential crisis swiftly ensued and the only resolution was one that included stills, barrels, and fine spirits.

Tasmania is blessed with many distilleries, but most are small family-owned and run operations with few staff. Did you find it difficult finding work in a distillery?
Funnily enough, no! I was chatting with Rex at Nonesuch Distillery one morning about wanting to explore the industry, over his sloe gin naturally, and in a classic Tassie move, he posted on Facebook that I had good wine industry experience and desired to go into distilling. A scurry of phone calls followed, and the next day Pat Meguire at Sullivans phoned and offered me work. Still pinching myself over that one.

What’s your favourite thing about working at Sullivan’s Cove?
Aside from loving the product (especially our American Oak expression), everyone is valued for what they give the company. We are a small team but are from really diverse backgrounds and so we all bring a quirk and flare to the table. If you had to picture a quintessential distillery crew, we’re certainly not that! If what we sing while at work is any indication of the mix, if you spend a little time at the distillery you could hear fantastically terrible renditions of Sadie the Cleaning Lady, Besame Mucho, freestyle rap and everything in-between. It’s good fun!


What kinds of jobs are available in a typical distillery and how do the education requirements vary? Would you recommend any kinds of courses, formal education or industry experience for anyone hoping to secure work in a distillery?
The textbook roles include back of house operations (distiller, bond store management, production management, malting and brewing in distilleries that do these processes themselves, etc.), blending, front of house and hospitality roles, administrative and finance roles, marketing and sales. 

Australia has become an off-centre poster child for the world whisky scene in the space of a few years and a couple of breaths, voila! We have a knack, we do indeed! This is where we need to work through our identity crisis, find who we are, embody who we are, protect our essence, and strive to just be better all the time. Education is so part of that. The balance will be maintaining the romance and quirk with developing technical knowledge and industry growth. 

Obviously many of the administrative roles have formal education foundations, however, there isn’t a huge scope of education options for distilling roles. In fact, the vast majority of distillers have no related education; it’s all on-the-job based and handed down learning. I totally love this, it’s romantic! But as any industry grows, there comes a point where education must come to the forefront to ensure it is both preserved and held to the right standards of quality and practice through its growth. Right now, we are at that point. Australia has become an off-centre poster child for the world whisky scene in the space of a few years and a couple of breaths, voila! We have a knack, we do indeed! This is where we need to work through our identity crisis, find who we are, embody who we are, protect our essence, and strive to just be better all the time. Education is so part of that. The balance will be maintaining the romance and quirk with developing technical knowledge and industry growth. 

And there are education options that strive keep that balance - the Tasmanian Whisky Academy offers courses that introduce interested people to the business and technical aspects of starting up and running a distillery. The Academy is a great place to start for industry insight and guidance. 

The Institute of Brewing and Distilling (based in the UK, but with an ever-growing presence in Australia) offer accessible distance courses for those after technical grit. They are partnering with the Tas Whisky Academy to provide intensive face-to-face courses around Australia, so keep both eyes peeled on the Academy social media for these. A number of distilleries are also offering courses and on the ground experiences for those who want to dip their toes in, i.e. Redlands and Nonesuch here in Tasmania, who show the nitty-gritty “how do you do that?”, getting the hands dirty kind of stuff. 

What did you know about whisky before you began working at a distillery and how steep has the on-the-job learning curve been?
Only that I liked the good stuff, the rest I have learned since. I guess the steepness of the learning curve depends on one’s approach to learning. I have no end of passion and geek-driven fascination for the field, so continually reading, asking questions and going deeper is a joy; being a curious cat helps.

How has your whisky education changed the way you enjoy whisky?
Drinking whisky isn’t boring anymore, it’s a little intense now, in fact! When I drink I want to see the overall personality of the whisky, to pick apart the components that make it up, and then put them back together in the palate’s mind to see how they hold in balance. Pre-spirits industry I enjoyed thinking about what I could taste and smell, but now ask why can I taste and smell these things? What did the narrative of this whisky’s life look like to give this result? When you find a whisky that has been crafted lovingly and with artistic intention at every point of the process, you can taste it. It’s as if every flavour and aroma introduces itself to you… and gives you a glimpse into their journey. 

I want to taste the ferment style, the worm tub, the hard-and-fast or the low-and-slow distillation techniques, all those sexy bends and curves of the still, how the spirit was cut, the provenance of the oak, the maturation environment and the way all of these work together. 

I love oak characteristics, but more so chase whiskies that possess a harmony between the oak and the distillery character. I want to taste the ferment style, the worm tub, the hard-and-fast or the low-and-slow distillation techniques, all those sexy bends and curves of the still, how the spirit was cut, the provenance of the oak, the maturation environment and the way all of these work together. Unashamedly get kicks from this!

Do you have a favourite whisky and if so, what is it and why is it your dram of choice?
Generally, variety reigns supreme. But that being said… Redbreast 15, Yellow Spot, a Duncan Taylor bottling of Mortlach 1993 18 year old, Yoichi (umami-mia!) and Glencadam 14 year old Oloroso cask will always slow a spinning world.

On an objective level, they’re all multi-faceted with a balanced depth. On a subjective (and admittedly oddball) level, in my mind, every smell and sound have a funny aurora-like colour pattern and the colour patterns of these whiskies strike a chord in me.

Are there any figures in the whisky industry that you take inspiration from or would like to emulate one day and if so, who are they and why do you see them as inspirational?
Many, and not just from the whisky industry! None I want to emulate – we all must express our individuality in our arts – but I find endless wisdom, influence and inspiration from Barry Crockett of Midleton Distillery, Christoph Keller at Stählemühle, Julien Frémont in Calvados, and Hubert Germain-Robin in California. They are colourful personalities, all obsessively passionate about their distilling niches, and all have forged unique styles from their own character. With them it never ends - they see the world through their palate, and their spirits come from the soul. It’s personal. To me, they embody my dream: an eclectic and eccentric blend of art and science, with noses deep in glasses.

Where do you see yourself in ten years and what are your future career goals?
Hopefully, a little wiser and certainly with a lot more still experience. We hope kids will be in the picture. I get that most women don’t see themselves raising kids amongst barrels, copper pots and high proof spirits… But the idea of sharing the passion and appreciation for fine spirits and their creation with a child gives me a buzz. #mumgoals 

Aroma science gives me mega highs, as does the organic chemistry behind the lives of barrel aged spirits from the ground to the bottle. So as far as career goals go, I find myself focussing on these areas with the intention of specialising in them, and also with a growing interest in teaching others the same.


Have you received any odd reactions from family, friends or strangers when you tell them your occupation?
Nothing hilarious to report sadly. Haven’t been burnt at the stake or dubbed a witch (that literally happened to thousands of women distillers in the 1500-1600’s) or anything dramatic yet, just the odd marriage proposal. Really it just takes people back a little- it’s not a garden variety occupation. A great conversation starter! 

Do you think being a woman will be irrelevant, an opportunity or an obstacle to your future in the industry?
Irrelevant in the sense that I’m just a person doing their thing, gender aside. A wonderful opportunity to be able to contribute to the breaking down of perceived societal barriers to career due to gender that is happening currently. This really excites me. 

There have certainly been times in the wider drinks industry where I have felt like a bit of a sideshow, or that it was assumed that after a bit of hard work I’d bail, but when a person - any sex - shows that they are suited to a role and industry and can hoof it like anybody else, then they are accepted as one of the crew. 

An obstacle? Nah. There have certainly been times in the wider drinks industry where I have felt like a bit of a sideshow, or that it was assumed that after a bit of hard work I’d bail, but when a person - any sex - shows that they are suited to a role and industry and can hoof it like anybody else, then they are accepted as one of the crew. I have certainly found this to be true and have experienced very little prejudice within the production side of the industry, and trust that will continue. The distillery folks in Tasmania are a neat bunch, and Sullivans is a cool family.

There have been certain adjustments, though, like learning not to put on eye makeup until after cleaning the still (picture a Gene Simmons’ doppelganger).

Would you like to see more women follow in your footsteps and do you have any advice for women either interested in or unaware of the opportunities in the whisky industry?
You’re darn tootin’ I would! For the vast majority of distillation history, women have been the souls behind spirits; in fact, the invention of the alembic still is generally attributed to a lassie by the name of Mary the Jewess, circa 200CE. Since the Industrial Revolution, distillation (and by default whisky) has become more synonymous with the man’s realm and is no longer on the to-do list of housewives everywhere. Yes, making whisky is often dirty, sweaty, hard work that at many times is not for the faint-hearted (ever spent days on end manoeuvring 250kg barrels?), but hold the phone - why on earth does that mean a woman wouldn’t want to do it or be great at it? 

My advice for women is that it is a wonderful path that offers fulfilling and varied opportunities for the creatives, scientists and those who fall in the middle. It’s endlessly fascinating, a sensory hallucination that becomes your existence. 

Is life class getting predictable? The board room getting you down? Feel like the only sure thing in life right now is the enrapturing aroma of the Tariquet 12 in your glass? Listen to your nose. Go and say hello to your local friendly distiller, hang out with them, and ask about opportunities in the industry. Don’t live near a distiller? Find one online! Asking is daunting sometimes, but questions make the world go round, right?

Calling you out ladies, dive in!


Thank you so much for your time Heather, it has been a pleasure sharing your passion for whisky.

If you have any questions for Heather (with the exception of marriage proposals) please send them to whiskydadblog@gmail.com and I will be sure to pass then on - WhiskyDad.
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Interview with Anne Gigney

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Interview with Anne Gigney



Welcome Anne, please introduce yourself and your role in the Tasmanian Whisky Academy?


Thanks, Shane. I’m the Director of the Tasmanian Whisky Company and primary controller of traffic on course day. I am also the grunt behind the operation, so if something needs doing I better get in and get my hands dirty.



How did the Tasmanian Whisky Academy begin and is it based on any established model?


A couple of years ago the company I was working for was doing some agriculture work on the lovely Redlands Estate where the original Redlands Distillery was based. At the time we got talking to distiller Dean Jackson and our mate Bill Lark and the conversation of how you learn to be a distiller came up.

At the time, in early 2013, there wasn’t much around if you wanted to learn about distilling. The guys here in Tas had been learning on the job, reading up when they wanted to know something or asking other distillers (primarily Bill Lark) if there was something a little bit tricky.

We thought there had to be an easier way for distillers and people who wanted to work in the industry to gain those skills and knowledge; the idea of the Academy was born.

From there, my partner Chris who is passionate about training that works, and I started looking around at ways we could help create a pathway for people interested in getting into the industry and those looking to increase their skills and knowledge in distilling.

We tested the idea with Bill Lark and spoke with Patrick Maguire (Sullivans) to see what they thought and with a positive “yep, reckon it’s a goer” we took off.

The model is loosely based on the Irish Whisky Academy and is based on the premise of connection. Connection to experts. Connection to Tasmanian distilleries. Connecting people who love whisky, with people who know about it. We wanted to create an amazing Tassie experience that also gave students full exposure to the process of whisky making – from idea to market. That course has become the Tasmanian Introduction to Distilling and was first run in November 2016.

Our next goal is to be able to create a better learning pathway for the industry itself so that the people in the industry who have the skills are recognised for these and if they want to learn new skills, there is an avenue for this.



What does the Tasmanian Whisky Academy hope to bring to the Tasmanian and Australian whisky industry?


It would be great to think Tasmania, and by default Australia, can gain a global reputation not just for our amazing product but for our people as well.

In short, we’d like to think that when aspiring distillers from other parts of the world look at honing their craft, that Australia becomes a desirable place for that learning to occur. If we can play a role in progressing that reputation it would be fantastic.



What services, training and support does the Tasmanian Whisky Academy provide and to whom is it available?


Currently, the Academy offers the Tasmanian Introduction to Distilling course. This 1-day course is targeted to people interested in getting into the industry, those who love whisky or want to write about it and anyone trying to work out if distilling or brewing is what they want to do with their career.

We’ve also become a bit of an unofficial go to place for info about Tassie whisky and we’ve created the Tasmanian distilleries map with the view that if people are thinking of coming to Tassie, that they might come and do the Intro course, then stay a while and check out distilleries and tours around the state. We’re super happy to talk to anyone about whisky and what roads they should travel while they’re here.

We also have a few other things up our sleeve for 2017 and we’ll be sharing those soon.



So, if I wanted to start my own distillery, what unique opportunities could the Tasmanian Whisky Academy provide me?


The most relevant thing is the end to end overview. We’ve priced the Intro to Distilling so that if you are thinking about entering the industry, or you’re thinking about opening a distillery, the course will give you enough info that you can then make informed decisions about where to go next. It’s also an awesome fun day.

There are some other avenues around that may help, but the Intro is set out as a structured course, designed to be a great experience and provide a bit of business, info about barley, mashing, fermenting, distilling, bottling and market with pointers that help people on their journey.

The best part is getting out there amongst it at Moo Brew and see the grain and the mashing and Sullivans Cove Distillery to go through the process from receiving wash to bottling. Our mate Rex from Nonesuch Distillery also got to show our students a bit about gin, so that is a pretty cool too.

For people coming from interstate, we’d like to think we can offer them a little part of Tassie that they might otherwise not get to see. And while they’re here look after them, introduce them to people who might be able to help and create a worthwhile connection to the Tassie industry.



What work is being done to provide official accreditation and recognition for Tasmanian Whisky Academy courses and qualifications?


This is still being discussed but we’d like to think that in the future Tassie will be leading a distillers course that will help the industry. But that’s still a ways off and for now, part of the interest is that anyone can enter the industry and be trained on the job.



What was the local whisky industry’s reaction to the Tasmanian Whisky Academy?


Largely the reaction to The Academy has been positive and we’ve had some tremendous supporters, especially Bill Lark and Patrick Maguire who helped us fine tune the idea in the early days, and Rex at Nonesuch who has opened his doors to our students.

Our hope is that we will be able to run our Intro to Distilling in other parts of the state as well and we’ve had quite a few discussions with distillers around the state who are interested in being part of the fun. That will be great for students who want to experience diversity within the distilleries.



Does the Tasmanian Whisky Academy have any partners and if so, who are they and what is their involvement?


Our main partners are Moo Brew and Sullivans Cove who have provided the venue and the knowledge to ensure the students have the most amazing experience possible. These two venues, with support from Dave Magill and Pat Maguire are great Tassie icons and we’re proud and delighted they have been able to join us.

Hadley’s Orient Hotel provide a home for The Academy in Hobart and is a tremendous venue to return to for a whisky or gin at the end of the day. Our host Todd from Destination Cellars brings colour to the story of whisky and Rex at Nonesuch has been a great support offering a complete picture of how distilling can be done. We’ve a heap of other friends and supporters for our journey, the least of which is the Tassie industry as a whole – they are the reason people head down south and for that – 25 thank yous.

Pat Maguire (Sullivans Cove), Dave Magill (Moo Brew) and Anne Gigney (TWA)

What is the vision for the future of the Tasmanian Whisky Academy?


We’d just like to see more people heading south to learn about whisky. Tassie is really where it’s at. You can’t head more that 50kms from any major town in Tassie before stumbling over a distillery. We’d like more people to make our state a destination. Come and do a course, visit a distillery, take a tour and also experience the beer, cider and food that make Tassie great. And yeah, we’d like to play a role in making all that possible.



Are there any similar organisations to the Tasmanian Whisky Academy in other states and could there be an Australian Whisky Academy one day?


We think we’re pretty unique. There are a number of distilleries around Australia delivering unique and amazing whisky experiences but no single place to come for a complete education experience.

An Australian Academy? Not sure! But we think it possible the Tasmanian Whisky Academy will be offering Introduction to Distilling and more formal training to the industry in other parts of Australia in the future.



Thank you very much for your time, Anne. How can anyone interested in the Tasmanian Whisky Academy contact you?


The best place to head is the website www.whiskyacademy.com.au or Facebook www.facebook.com/whiskyacademytasmania.

The website has the links to the booking page for the Introduction to Distilling course and more information about us.

We’re offering two Summer courses in 2017 – 19 January and 16 February for people who are interested. $645 all inclusive with spots filling fast for January.


More Info

For more details on the Introduction to Distilling course, see my three-part feature here:

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