What Makes Australian Whisky Different?

Despite having a history that dates back more than 160 years, Australia’s whisky industry, as it is known today, only really began to take shape in the 1990s when Bill Lark was awarded his liquor licence. Since then, Tasmania has earned a reputation for its small-batch, single-distillery whisky expressions. Alongside these quality cues, Tasmanian whisky has long carried the stigma of being ultra-exclusive and economically inaccessible, keeping it relatively cut off from the wider whisky-drinking world.

This has since begun to change, largely as a result of the 2018 release of Starward Two Fold.

“At that time, there weren’t really any other Australian whiskies in that price range, and nothing blended,” said Head Blender Jarrad Huckshold. “It’s been really exciting to see more brands emerge in that space, and I think we’re going to see more of that in the next five years.”

More than simply opening up a more accessible price point and enabling greater distribution, Starward’s use of wine barrels also helped define a new genre of Australian whisky, one that seeks to differentiate itself from its Scottish counterparts.

Archie Rose, through its focus on locally sourced malts, is also producing whiskies that clearly champion their homeland. “When we started producing whisky in 2014, we began with a fairly traditional process, but before long there was a lingering question that kept coming up, which was why not use Australian malts to produce whisky?” said Head Distiller Dave Withers.

“We want to represent our experience as Australian whisky drinkers and creators in every product we produce. That comes down to the raw materials we use and the maturation environment, both of which reflect the richness and diversity of Australian terroir

In pioneering a distinctly Australian style, Archie Rose has reconsidered every aspect of the production process. This includes barrel selection, which champions ex-fortified wine and native timber casks, along with the use of native wood to smoke grain, such as stringybark. The production decision that most clearly distinguishes Archie Rose is its use of locally grown grains alongside, rather than instead of, traditional malted barley.

“Some of the most spectacular ingredients for making whisky are right on our doorstep. Did you know we grow over a third of the world’s malting barley in Australia?” said Withers.

“The category has grown to be brave enough to embrace these fantastic ingredients, which have always been right in front of us. We are eager to ensure they get the platform they deserve.”

Another factor differentiating Australia’s whisky production from Scotland is climate, with warmer temperatures allowing whisky to mature more quickly, similar to Caribbean rum. This is especially true for Archie Rose, which has embraced its location in Rosebery, Sydney, where greater diurnal and seasonal temperature fluctuations help accelerate the maturation process.

The warmer Sydney climate also brings economic benefits when compared with cooler whisky-producing regions such as Tasmania, where distilleries often downsize casks to achieve a similar effect.

For Archie Rose, the new make spirit is the most important component in shaping a whisky’s final style. “It might be because of my background in wine, but I have always viewed the base grain and how it is treated as the most important part of whisky making,” said Withers. “The team is looking forward to offering more whiskies featuring different grain varieties that showcase genuine differences in flavour. We have spirit maturing from varieties that have never been distilled before, as well as others that offer alternative perspectives on Australian whisky.

“They are still some time away, but some of these individually distilled grain varieties are already showing exceptional promise.”