Whisky road trip? Distilleries to visit this summer

If there’s one thing that triggers a yearning for summer, its the mention of a road trip. Feet on the dashboard, sun on the face, wind in your hair. Here’s our guide to Australia’s best distillery experiences to get your wheels rolling this summer including festive trading hours…

Chiefs Son, Victoria

If you’re out Mornington Peninsula way, Cheifs Son Distillery makes for a great pop in. A cool little bar upstairs is the perfect setting for a quiet drink after a day at the beach.

Tasting Room Hours:
7 Days per week 11am – 4pm
Tastings of 4 whiskies are available at a cost of $10 redeemable on all 700ml bottle purchases.

Contact:
E-mail: contactus@chiefsson.com.au
Phone: (03) 9013 0859

Address:
25/50 Guelph Street
SOMERVILLE, Victoria 3912

Timboon, VIC

A $10 tasting fee at Timboon will get you 3 single malts, refunded if a bottle is purchased, plus vodka liqueurs are complimentary to try! Their kitchen team have created a regional menu designed for sharing, but with limited seats available, be sure to call ahead to book your table.

You can do tastings every day at the distillery, but if you’re after something a little more special, join one of Timboons regular ‘Walk the Talk’ luncheon tours for $59 per person.

‘Walk the Talk’ luncheon tour includes:
– Tour with the distiller
– Tastings of Timboon single malts, vodka and liqueurs
– Shared lunch platter
– A glass of wine/beer/soft drink
– Souvenir tote bag and tasting glass + any purchases at cellar door prices

The dates of regular, small group tours open to everyone 18+ are scheduled via their Facebook page. If you wish to book a private tour for 10-20 persons (max), contact Timboon directly to find a date that suits.

Opening Hours:
Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Good Friday.
7 DAYS: 10am – 4.30pm
Lunch: 11:30AM until 3PM

Address:
Timboon Railway Shed Distillery
1 Bailey Street, Timboon VIC 3268

Contact:
Phone: 03 5598-3555
Email: info@timboondistillery.com.au

Starward, VIC

This one is a no-brainer. Tasting and talking whisky while surrounded by the sounds and aromas of a fully operating distillery… and it’s just on the edge of Melbourne city.

The distillery tour includes a peek at up-close production, and two tasters along the way for $15 per person.
For $120 per person you can attend Starwards whisky masterclass, which includes a bottling of your own mini Starward, straight from the barrel, while tasting and discussing their experimental, limited project releases and core range.

Opening Hours:
Closed Christmas day.
Open Boxing Day from 12PM – 7PM
Bar is open 12PM – 7PM

Address:
50 Bertie St
Port Melbourne VIC 3207

Contact:
03 9005 4420.
Flights and tastings: info@starward.com.au
Bookings via the website or eventbrite.com

Fleurieu Distillery, SA

Fleurieu Distillery grew from the Steam Exchange Brewery, and has since taken out some serious accolades. Get in touch via the form on their website, or give them a call direct to plan your tour. Whisky by the water, anyone?

Opening Hours:
Open everyday from 11.30AM – 4.30PM
Closed Christmas day, and if the mercury reads over 36 degrees!

Contact:
Phone: (08) 8555 3406

Address:
Located on the Fleurieu Peninsula,
1 Cutting Rd, Goolwa, South Australia 5214

Shene Estate, TAS

Located at Pontville, just 30 minutes north of Hobart, 15 minutes from MONA and Richmond, Shene Distillery tours are by appointment. On offer is an exemplary array of experiences to cater for absolutely anyone, always with a smile and the Shene Estate element of eccentricity!

On Offer:
– Distillery Tour & Tasting
– Whisky pairing lunch in the stables:
Includes the distillery tour, tastings and a three-course roaming lunch.
Minimum 20, maximum 30 Guests – $130 per person.
– Distillery’s Road Side Stall:
Passing by? Pop into Shene Estates Distillery’s Road Side Stall and meet members of their distilling team. From 20th until Christmas Eve, Shene Estate will be doing ‘Mackeys Martini’s and Merriment’, turning their roadside stall into a bar and putting on carols from 10am to 4pm!

Opening Hours:
The distillery will be closed on the following dates:
Closed from December 16th – 19th for yearly maintenance
Closed Christmas day to re-open on December 29th

Address:
76 Shene Rd
Pontville TAS 7030

Contact:
E-mail: myfanwy@shene.com.au
Phone: 0432 480 250
or
Head to the website and book via the form located at the bottom of the page.

Hellyer’s Road, TAS

The Hellyers Road Distillery is home to beautiful views of Emu Valley, a very comfy visitors centre, and a cafe with great eats made from predominantly locally sourced ingredients. Take their fully guided tour, the ‘Whisky Walk’ takes between 30 to 40 minutes and is $19.50 per person. Children may accompany adults, 16 years and under are free.

Visitor Centre is open 7 days a week
10am ‒ 4:30pm, Closed Public Holidays.

General Enquiries:
Phone: 03 6433 0439 / +61 3 6433 0439

Whisky Walk Tours & Cafe Bookings:
Phone: 03 6433 0439
E-mail: sales@hellyersroaddistillery.com.au

Address:
153 Old Surrey Road
Havenview, TAS 7320

Adams Distillery, TAS

Adams Distillery have a tour manager set to start on April 1st, but if you head over before then you are likely to be shown around by one of the two Adams that founded the distillery. Be sure to ask if you can pop your head in to Transwood, their cooperage on site!

Opening Hours:
Strictly by appointment only

Contact:
Phone: 0407 315 741 or 0459 479 040
Tours: tours@adamsdistillery.com.au

Address:
Glen Ireh Estate
35 Drummond Street
Perth, TAS 7300

Lark Distillery, TAS

Take a comprehensive half-day journey through one of Tasmanias most lauded distilleries, the oldest in operation, the distillery that ‘started it all’.

The tour spans 2.5 hours, for $80 you will meet distillers, see production close-up and be treated to samples straight from the cask.
Pop across the road to Frogmore Creek for lunch and check out the largest cool-climate winery in Southern Tasmania.

Opening Hours:
Everyday but Christmas and Boxing Day
Sunday – Thurs close at 8:00PM
Friday + Sat close at 11:00PM

Address:
14 Davey St.
Hobart TAS 7000

Contact:
For general inquiries, use the contact form or call direct on:
(+613) 6231 9088.

Sullivans Cove Distillery, TAS

Celebrating 25 years this year, Sullivans Cove is an infamous distillery on the Tasmanian/Australian landscape. Since winning Worlds Best Single Malt in 2014 they have gone on to hold the title of the most awarded whisky in Oz.

Sullivans Cove tours start at 11am, 1pm and 3pm seven days a week, bookings are essential.
Tour & Tasting: $50pp (allow up to 1 hour)
Tour only: $30pp
Tasting only: $30pp (allow up to 20 minutes)

Opening Hours:
Closed: 4th, 24th, 25th, 26th and 31st of December + 1st January 2020.
No appointments necessary to pop in, they are open between 10am and 4pm.

Contact:
Phone: +61 (03) 6248 5399
Email: info@sullivanscove.com

Address:
1/10 Lamb Pl
Cambridge TAS 7170

McHenry Distillery, TAS

McHenry Distillery have a very bright future ahead. A core range 10 year old single malt, and a brewery on site, all on the cards for 2020! In the mean time, get around their highly awarded gin (the official gin of Parliament House!), and their beautiful single barrel whisky releases – we recommend barrel No.17!

Gin Workshops:
Minimum 4 people
Become a distiller for the day in an exclusive gin-making workshop and take home a 500ml bottle of your creation, plus a 200ml complimentary bottle of McHenrys classic dry gin.

11:00am – 11:15am: Morning coffee and greeting.
11:30am – 12:10pm: VIP tour of distillery
12:00pm – 12:30pm: Gin masterclass taking a step through the ages to see how gin has evolved
12:30pm – 1:30pm: A gin flavour-matched picnic lunch
1:30pm – 3:00pm: Setting-up of stills, loading of botanicals for bespoke gin distillation
3:00pm – 3:30pm: Bottling and labeling of personalised gin

Book online for the Gin Workshops here

Opening hours:
Everyday but Christmas Day.
10:00AM – 4:00PM

Address:
229 Radnor Rd,
Port Arthur Tasmania, 7182

Contact:
Phone: 03 6250 2533

Not open to the public yet, but stay in the know with these up-and-coming distilleries

Hillwood Whisky – Tamar Valley Distillery, TAS

Not open to the public yet, but head to the website and sign up for their mailing list. They mill onsite, create the mash, ferment, distill, age and bottle, all on their Hillwood property.

To enquire about the first release of Hillwood Whisky, due May 2020, contact: info@hillwoodwhisky.com.au.

Backwoods Distilling Co, VIC

Not open to the public yet, but head to the website and sign up for their mailing list or shoot over a message expressing your interest in their first release. Alternatively, join the Backwoods Founders’ Club and be a part of the journey! Get your hands on the first release whisky, exclusive news and information for Founders only – limited to 250 places.

Contact:
Bree Attwood
Founder and Marketing
0430 228 025
bree@backwoodsdistilling.com.au

Leigh Attwood
Founder and Distiller
0430 290 677
leigh@backwoodsdistilling.com.au

White Label/Sawford Distillery, TAS

White Label Distillery is a contract brewing and distilling company located in Huntingfield, Tasmania, and Sawford Distillery is located on the same site and run largely by Jane Sawford, daughter of Casey Overeem. White Label contract brew malt whisky wash, and distil new make spirit for their clientele, all this while also staying busy distilling and maturing their own whisky – Sawford – which is coming along incredibly well.

While yet to release a whisky, you can head to the website and sign up for the mailing list to be the first across any White Label or Sawford news.

Address:
Huntingfield, Tasmania.

Contact:
Mobile: 0418 399 077
Email: jane@whitelabeldistillery.com.au

Happy exploring!

– The Whisky & Alement Team