Pure air, clean water and a mild climate are just three of the ingredients needed to produce some of the world’s best whisky. Tasmania has an abundance of these, making it the place to be when Whisky Live hits Hobart this weekend.
This is the first Whisky Live event for Hobart, and will be held at the Grand Chancellor Hotel on Saturday, 30 July, wrapping up the inaugural Tasmanian Whisky Week (22-31 July).
Many Tasmanian whisky brands will be sharing their whisky know-how and offering tastings at Whisky Live, including Lark & Overeem Distillery, Sullivans Cove Single Malt Whisky, Hellyers Road Distillery and Redlands Whisky.
Overeem Whisky brand ambassador Jane Overeem says Tasmania is fast becoming known as Australia’s whisky island.
“There are now approximately 20 registered distilleries in the state. It is very exciting as each distillery is producing fantastic quality single malt whisky and other spirits. We are winning many domestic awards, and certainly holding our own on the world stage,” Jane says.
Sullivans Cove sales and marketing assistant Nathan Campbell explains that access to high quality water and barley are essential building blocks from which to craft good single malt whisky.
“Tasmania has some of the most favourable growing conditions for barley on the planet, clean and pure water and a mild climate that is perfect for malting. One of the longest-running and strictest quarantine programs in the world means that the island and its produce are kept pristine. We only use Tasmanian-grown barley to make our whisky, simply because it is the best,” Nathan says.
All of these factors combine to make Tasmania a prime venue for whisky lovers. Those who enjoy indulging in this amber spirit can explore brands from Tasmania, Scotland, Ireland and India at Whisky Live.
Hellyers Road Distillery master distiller, Mark Littler says single malt whisky consumption was undergoing a renaissance in Australia, which follows current trends in Europe, and is something the state’s whisky brands have been able to capitalise on.
“We are finding a much younger demographic is being drawn to single malt whisky and the sense of provenance that comes with boutique brands like Hellyers Road Distillery and other Tasmanian whisky distilleries. Tasmanian whiskies have garnered a global reputation in the last few years for crafting some of the best New World whiskies available anywhere,” Mark says.
In the words of Tasmania’s godfather of Tasmanian whisky, Bill Lark of Lark Distillery, on ABC’s Radio National program: “The reason Tasmania is doing so well in the international marketplace is that… we’re all passionate.”
These brands and more will be at Whisky Live at the Grand Chancellor Hotel, 1 Davey Street, Hobart on Saturday, July 30. Two sessions are available: 1pm – 4.30pm and 6pm – 9.30pm.
Tickets for Whisky Live are $99, which includes the whiskies for sampling, an assortment of food to graze on while tasting, a whisky glass to keep and a whisky tasting guide with notes, photos and flavour profiles. The Rare & Old Bar is an optional extra.
Tickets are available online at: www.whiskylive.com.au/hobart/buytickets.html
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