There’s a quiet hero in whisky-making that, in our opinion, doesn’t get enough air time and that’s the roll of barley.

We use all Tasmanian malted barley - it’s oily, it’s sweet and it’s of the highest quality. But what happens to the barley next is just as important as the barley itself.

In the words of Head Distiller Rob, “You treat whole grain with respect and like second day old bread, it’s never as good as when it’s fresh.”

To use the barley at its purist, we do all of our own milling on site. Rob stands next to the mill, listening to the sound and speed at which the barley is coming through, taking samples and making sure it’s milled perfectly, tailored to the size of the grain.

Before dropping into the mash tun, we use a grist hydrator, ensuring the barley is mixed evenly at the right temperature and with the right amount of moisture for optimum extraction.

Rob’s careful monitoring continues in the mash tun, considering time and draw off speeds, ensuring the grain is pressed down just the right amount so the hot water can continue to pass through.

Our spent grain is then shovelled out and given to local farmers like Pig Creek Homestead to feed to their pigs and other livestock. Will & his family often gift us eggs and barley-fed pork in return. A beautiful circular economy.