Australian whisky explained

A law change started it

Australia had a whisky industry in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, but it faded. For decades, licensing rules made it very hard to run small stills. In 1992, Tasmanian distiller Bill Lark is widely credited with persuading the federal government to change the rules so small distilleries could be licensed.

That change opened the door. Tasmania became the centre of the early revival and craft distilleries followed in Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia and elsewhere.

What the rules require

Australian law requires whisky to be matured in wooden casks for at least two years. That is shorter than the three years required for Scotch and Irish whiskey. It suits small producers who need to sell before their stock grows old. Whisky must be distilled from a fermented mash of cereal grain.

There is no Australian equivalent of the detailed Scotch rules on still type or region. Producers choose their own grains, stills and casks. The result is a scene with very different styles from one distillery to the next.

Tasmania and its advantages

Tasmania has cool weather, good barley-growing land, clean water and its own peat. That combination looks a lot like Scotland and helped the island become Australia's whisky heartland. Some Tasmanian distillers use local peat to smoke their malt, which gives a different smoke character from Scottish peat.

The mainland is a different story. Warehouses in hot, dry regions see fast maturation and high losses, much as in India or Taiwan. Our guide to Taiwanese whisky and hot climate maturation explains what heat does to a cask.

Fortified wine casks

Australia has a long history of making fortified wines in the style of sherry and port. Those wineries left behind a supply of seasoned casks and Australian whisky makers use them a great deal. Barrels that held fortified wines are now often called apera or tawny casks in Australia.

These casks give rich, fruity whiskies with notes of dried fruit, chocolate and spice. Many Australian distilleries use small casks, sometimes 100 litres or less, which speeds maturation because a smaller cask has more wood surface per litre of spirit.

What it tastes like

Because every distillery makes its own choices, there is no single Australian flavour. Common threads include:

• rich malt and cereal from local barley
• dried fruit, red berry and chocolate from fortified wine casks
• bold oak and spice from small casks
• earthy or herbal smoke when Tasmanian peat is used

Many Australian whiskies are bottled at high strength, often above 46% ABV and sometimes at cask strength. Add water slowly.

Small batches, big variety

Australian whisky is mostly made in small volumes. Single cask bottlings are common, so two bottles of the same brand can differ noticeably. That makes it rewarding for curious tasters and less predictable for anyone looking for a steady house dram.

Our guide to how whisky is made covers the steps that each small distillery adapts in its own way.

Grain and still choices

Most Australian whisky is single malt made from malted barley, often grown locally. A growing number of producers also make whisky from wheat, rye or mixed grains and the rules allow it. Pot stills are the most common, many of them small and built locally, though some distilleries add columns or hybrid stills.

Small stills mean small batches and a lot of hands-on decisions about cuts. A distiller running a still of a few hundred litres can change the spirit noticeably from one run to the next simply by moving the heart cut. That is part of why Australian whiskies vary so much, even within a single distillery's range.

How to taste it

Pour 20 ml into a tulip glass. If it is bottled above 46% ABV, nose it carefully, then add a few drops of water and nose again. Look for the fortified wine cask influence: dried fruit, chocolate, red berries. Taste neat, then with more water. Keep water close, keep pours small and plan your ride home.

Your first step: check the back label of an Australian whisky for the cask type and the strength. Those two lines tell you most of what you need to know before the first sip.

Common questions

How long must Australian whisky age?

At least two years in wooden casks, which is shorter than the three year minimum for Scotch or Irish whiskey.

Why is Tasmania important for Australian whisky?

A 1992 rule change, widely credited to Tasmanian distiller Bill Lark, allowed small stills to be licensed. Tasmania's cool climate, barley and peat made it the centre of the revival.

What are apera and tawny casks?

Casks that held Australian fortified wines in the sherry and port styles. Many Australian distilleries mature or finish whisky in them.