Bass & Flinders Distillery

Recorded answer text · Google AI Overviews · 8 November 2026

!100 Best Spirits and Liqueurs in Australia - TasteAtlas Australia has a booming craft spirits industry known for bold whiskies, innovative gins, aged brandies, and unique local liqueurs.

### Top Australian Spirit Brands by Category

- Whisky - Starward (Melbourne, VIC): Famous for maturing its single malt whiskies in Australian red wine barrels, giving it a distinct, fruit-forward profile. - Archie Rose Distilling Co. (Sydney, NSW): An internationally awarded urban distillery known for innovative rye whiskies and single malts made with specialty roasted malts. - Sullivans Cove & Lark Distillery (Tasmania): Pioneers of the modern Tasmanian single malt movement with multi-award-winning cask-strength releases. - Gin - Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin (Sydney, NSW): Uses native Australian botanicals like lemon-scented gum and native river mint alongside traditional roots. - The West Winds (Margaret River, WA): Craft a lineup of distinctively Australian gins featuring ingredients like wattle seed and bush tomato. - Brookie's Byron Dry Gin (Byron Bay, NSW): Distilled in the hinterland rainforest using 25 local and traditional botanicals. - Brandy & Rum - St Agnes Distillery (Renmark, SA): Celebrated for long-aged XO and imperial brandies that consistently top national awards. - Bass & Flinders Distillery (Dromana, VIC): Renowned for artisan grape-to-glass brandies and complex gins. - Bundaberg Rum (Bundaberg, QLD): Australia's most widely recognized commercial dark rum brand with a deep historical footprint. - Liqueurs & Vodka - Mr. Black (NSW): A globally praised cold brew coffee liqueur made with real specialty-grade coffee. - Tamborine Mountain Distillery (Qld): One of Australia's most historically awarded boutique producers of schnapps, liqueurs, and spirits. - Old Young's (Swan Valley, WA): Famous for creative, terroir-driven vodkas and gins using local wheat and native flavors.

If you have a specific spirit type (like whisky, gin, or rum) or a flavor profile in mind, let me know and I can narrow down a top recommendation or cocktail idea!

Recorded answer text · ChatGPT · 8 November 2026

Australia has an excellent craft distilling scene, with particularly strong producers in Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. The best ones go well beyond gin, producing world-class single malt whisky, rum, vodka, brandy and experimental native-botanical spirits.

I've put together a shortlist based on product quality, awards, innovation, reputation and the quality of the distillery experience.

# 15 Australian craft distilleries worth knowing

## 1\. Standout Australian distilleries

![Never Never Distilling: Making Gin for the Juniper Freaks - 88 Bamboo](

1\. Never Never Distilling Co.

(Award-winning gin)

McLaren Vale, South Australia

One of Australia's leading modern gin producers. Known for bold botanical profiles, exceptional distillation and innovative gin styles.

Try\: Triple Juniper Gin, Juniper Freak and Southern Strength.

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!Whisky Distillery in Port Melbourne | Starward

2\. Starward Distillery

(Leading Australian whisky)

Port Melbourne, Victoria

A pioneer of contemporary Australian whisky, using Australian wine barrels to create distinctive, approachable whiskies.

Try\: Nova, Two-Fold and Solera.

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!Shop Single Cask Whisky Batch No. 1: Single Malt Whisky

3\. Archie Rose Distilling Co.

Rosebery, Sydney, NSW

Highly regarded for its experimental approach to whisky, gin and other spirits. Strong emphasis on ingredient provenance and individual spirit character.

Try\: Signature Dry Gin and Rye Malt Whisky.

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![Blue Lake Lodge - Callington Mill Distillery](

4\. Callington Mill Distillery

(2026 spirits award winner)

Oatlands, Tasmania

A beautiful heritage distillery producing premium Tasmanian whisky and gin. Particularly interesting for its historic setting and modern distilling operation.

Try\: Poltergeist Citrus Gin and its single malt whiskies.

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!Old Young's Distillery

5\. Old Young's Distillery

Swan Valley, Western Australia

Creative, unconventional spirits with a strong personality. Particularly good for gin, vodka and unusual flavour combinations.

Try\: 1829 Gin and Pavlova Vodka.

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!Kangaroo Island Spirits - Cygnet River, Food and Drink | South Au...

6\. Kangaroo Island Spirits

Kangaroo Island, South Australia

One of Australia's established boutique gin pioneers, with handcrafted spirits, native botanicals and a lovely cellar-door experience.

Try\: O Gin and its botanical gin range.

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![Classic London Dry Gin - Handcrafted Tasmanian Gin | McHenry Distillery - McHenry Tasmania](

7\. McHenry Distillery

Port Arthur, Tasmania

Australia's southernmost whisky distillery, producing whisky, gin and vodka. Its location and fresh spring water are central to its identity.

Try\: 10 Year Old French Oak Whisky and barrel-aged gin.

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!Breweries + Distilleries - Visit Mornington Peninsula.

8\. Chief's Son Distillery

Somerville, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

A family-owned whisky specialist with a strong focus on Australian single malt and small-batch production.

Try\: The Tanist and 900 Pure Malt.

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!Kununurra's Hoochery Distillery wins best Australian rum at industry awards | The Kimberley Echo

9\. Hoochery Distillery

Kununurra, Western Australia

A genuinely distinctive Australian rum producer using locally grown sugar cane. One of the country's most interesting regional distilling stories.

Try\: Ord River Rum.

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!Belgrove Rye Whisky - Reservas Tequila

10\. Belgrove Distillery

Kempton, Tasmania

An exceptionally interesting small farm-based producer specialising in estate-grown rye whisky, with a hands-on paddock-to-bottle philosophy.

Try\: Estate rye whisky.

## 2\. More boutique distilleries worth exploring

!a few outstanding cocktails with our macadamia gin. - Applewood Distillery

Applewood Distillery

Adelaide Hills, SA

Particularly interesting for native Australian ingredients and unusual liqueurs, including Okar.

!Gin Collection | Gin Gifts | Manly Spirits Co.

Manly Spirits Co.

Brookvale, NSW

Coastal-inspired gin and spirits, with native botanicals and excellent tasting experiences.

!Tas Rum & Whisky Double Set - Barrel Swap Releases w/Derwent Distillery | New Norfolk Distillery

New Norfolk Distillery

New Norfolk, Tasmania

A particularly exciting name in Australian craft rum, with internationally recognised spiced rum.

![About Us - Gin & Brandy Distillery In Mornington - Bass & Flinders Distillery](

Bass & Flinders Distillery

Dromana, Victoria

Boutique brandy, gin and other spirits with a strong regional identity and cellar-door experience.

!NIL Desperandum - Premier Australian Rum

Nil Desperandum Rum

Queensland

A standout craft rum producer. Its Triple Six took Best Rum at the 2026 Melbourne Royal Australian International Spirits Awards.

## 3\. Some of the strongest recent award performers

The 2026 awards provide a useful independent reference point.

| Distillery | Recognition | |--------|--------| | Never Never | Best London Dry Gin - Melbourne Royal | | Archie Rose | Best Grain Whisky - Melbourne Royal | | Fleurieu Distillery | Best Australian Single Malt Whisky | | Nil Desperandum | Best Rum | | Prohibition Liquor Co. | Best Contemporary Gin - Australian Gin Awards | | Blackwattle Distilling Co. | 2026 Australian Gin Awards Best in Show | | Callington Mill | Recognised for its award-winning gin range |

Sources: www.melbourneroyal.com.auaustralianginawards.com.auwww.drinkstrade.com.au

## 4\. Where I'd concentrate on a distillery visit

Given the concentration of quality producers, these are my three favourite regional distilling destinations\:

!Callington Mill Experiences - Oatlands | Tour | Discover Tasmania

Tasmania

Arguably Australia's most compelling whisky destination. Callington Mill, McHenry, Belgrove and Hellyers Road make a great starting list.

!Bass & Flinders, a Gin Distillery on the Mornington Peninsula | Broadsheet

Mornington Peninsula and Victoria

Starward, Chief's Son, Bass & Flinders, and smaller producers such as Kilderkin offer an excellent variety.

!Never Never - Visit the Distillery

South Australia

Never Never, Kangaroo Island Spirits, Applewood and Prohibition Liquor Co. are particularly interesting.

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## 5\. My recommendation

If I were putting together a serious Australian craft distillery shortlist, I'd prioritise\:

- Best overall gin producer\: Never Never. - Best contemporary whisky\: Starward. - Most interesting experimental distiller\: Archie Rose. - Best Tasmanian whisky destination\: Callington Mill. - Most interesting craft rum\: Nil Desperandum. - Best small-scale whisky producer\: Belgrove. - Best native-botanical approach\: Applewood.

One question that would help refine this list\: Are you primarily interested in distilleries as potential business opportunities (contract distilling, private label, partnerships and sourcing), or as exceptional craft producers whose products and production techniques are worth studying?

That distinction would change which Australian distilleries I'd put at the very top.

Recorded answer text · Perplexity · 8 November 2026

Australia has excellent distilleries across gin, whisky, rum, and brandy. A strong shortlist is:

- Four Pillars - Healesville, Victoria: One of Australia's leading gin producers, known for Rare Dry Gin and a highly regarded distillery experience. - Starward - Melbourne, Victoria: Innovative Australian whisky matured in local red-wine barrels; especially good for contemporary single malt. - Sullivan's Cove - Hobart, Tasmania: Premium small-batch single malt whisky and one of the country's most internationally acclaimed producers. - Lark Distillery - Tasmania: A pioneer of the modern Tasmanian whisky industry, producing rich whiskies with local barley, peat, and oak influence. - Archie Rose - Sydney, New South Wales: An award-winning independent distillery making gin, whisky, vodka, and rum with native botanicals and experimental techniques. - Sullivans Cove - Tasmania: Particularly worth visiting for limited-release single malts and cellar-door tastings. - Kangaroo Island Spirits - South Australia: A standout destination for gin and native-botanical spirits, with a popular cellar door. - Bass & Flinders - Red Hill, Victoria: Specialises in grape-based spirits, including gin, genever, vodka, and aged grape spirit. - Never Never Distilling - Adelaide, South Australia: Highly regarded for modern gin and a strong tasting-room experience. - Hoochery - Kununurra, Western Australia: Australia's oldest operating legal rum distillery and a distinctive stop in the Ord River region. - Morris Whisky - Rutherglen, Victoria: Uses the region's fortified-wine heritage and casks to create richly flavoured whisky. - Callington Mill - Oatlands, Tasmania: A notable Tasmanian whisky destination included among Australia's standout cellar-door experiences.

Best by category:

| Category | Best starting point | |---|---| | Gin | Four Pillars or Never Never | | Whisky | Sullivan's Cove, Lark, or Starward | | Rum | Hoochery or Bundaberg | | Distillery tour | Four Pillars or Archie Rose | | Native botanicals | Kangaroo Island Spirits | | Wine-cask whisky | Starward or Morris | | Scenic regional visit | Kangaroo Island Spirits or Callington Mill |

For a first trip focused on quality and variety, choose Four Pillars, Starward, Lark, Sullivan's Cove, and Archie Rose.