The distillery’s visitor experience guided whisky tours that give guests an immersive look behind the scenes. “Our staff or distillers take visitors through a full explanation of how whisky is made,” Charge says. “But the real highlight is being able to bottle your whisky—straight from the cask.” That’s no marketing gimmick. Visitors sit in front of a barrel and draw a bottle of unfiltered whisky— complete with barrel char—into a personalized bottle. And we’re not talking about a young spirit. “You can bottle your own 21-year-old whisky. That’s probably unmatched anywhere else in the world,” Charge notes. Masterclasses and tasting events complement the offering, offering visitors in-depth exposure to the distilling and aging processes. “We love sharing information about our whiskies,” Charge says. That passion is evident in everything we do. CRAFTED WITH PATIENCE AND PRECISION In an industry where results take years, even decades, to manifest, growth must be approached with patience. Hellyers Road is steadily increasing production, laying down more whisky now than in the past—but always within the limits of its boutique, ultra-premium positioning. “You can’t just turn up production when demand grows,” Charge says. What we decide to make today will only be ready in 7, 10, or 20 years from now.And what we have now is based on decisions made years ago. It requires an intergenerational mindset.” The company is investing in new tour formats and elevated visitor experiences. On the product side, one innovation that’s capturing hearts and palates is its Tasmanian whisky cream liqueur. “It’s made with fresh cream and single malt spirit— not dried cream like others,” Charge says. It’s tough to get that mix right and make it shelf-stable. But we pulled it off.” The liqueur was recently named the World’s Best Cream Liqueur at the 2024 World Spirits Awards in 54 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 07, ISSUE 04
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx