Discovering Tasmania’s Underground Drinks Scene
A new generation of drinks alchemists is putting Tasmania on the map for more than just wine.
▼
Local Absinthe (image: Rosie Hastie)
With some of the cleanest air in the world and a cool climate that mimics parts of French old-world wine country, Tasmania’s reputation for excellent sparkling, white and red wines is undisputed. But wine isn’t the only beverage being poured into glasses in Tassie, with a growing number of small-batch beverage producers making a name for themselves and the tasty little numbers they distill. From traditional-style grappa in the Derwent Valley to uber-local takes on amaro, Tasmanian producers are carving out a new niche in the world of delicious drinking.
STEFANO LUBIANA
Stefano Lubiana is Tasmania’s first certified biodynamic vineyard, crafting innovative cool-climate wines on their 26 hectares of land in the south of the state. Making the most of the wine-making process, the winery distils very limited quantities of their Occio! Grappa from reserve Pinot Gris lees, pressed grape skins and seeds. Deceptively water-clear in appearance, this elegant digestif packs the heady punch of its Italian counterparts, with soft notes of talc and musk that cleanse the palate post-meal. Meanwhile, the Occio! Nocino steeps green walnuts in grappa for 12 months, resulting in a sweet, nutty and spicy liqueur that tastes close enough to sippable Christmas cake. With rounded notes of clove and cassis, it makes for a warming digestivo that is just at home in a glass as it is poured over vanilla ice cream for dessert.
“In my Italian culture, I’ve often enjoyed a digestif as a delicious way to finish a meal with family, so I started tinkering around with our own Arnold Holstein still,” says Steve Lubiana, owner and producer. “Making my own spirits has been a long-term passion project of mine, and a great way to utilise winery waste by-products.”
Osare Amaro (image: Dearna Bond)
PUNCH & LADLE
Cocktail and event wizards Punch & Ladle continue to expand their bespoke range of beverages, with the recent addition of two vermouths and a unique amaro. The outfit’s OG aperitif, the Medium Sweet Vermouth, infuses Tasmanian red wine with kunzea, pepperberry leaf, beetroot and cacao nibs, while the Strawberry Vermouth owes its unique aromatics to a base of local Pinot Gris with strawberries and spring botanicals. Both vermouths do their best work in a classic martini, and can be trusted with a gamut of spirits from lightest to dark. And a Tasmanian twist on an Italian Rabarbaro is found in Punch & Ladle’s Rhubarbero which, as the name suggests, leans heavily on Tasmanian rhubarb root to lend the amaro its classic bitter qualities. Sassafras, lemon tea tree, gentian and cinchona round out the liqueur which plays nicely in dry cocktails or as a digestif.
“We’re so fortunate to have access to quality fruit, botanicals and native ingredients in Tasmania,” says Khayla Massie, Punch & Ladle co-owner. “Using Tasmanian ingredients in our products allows us to tell the beautiful story of our environment, while supporting local producers and connecting with our community.”
GYPSY WHISKY CO.
Second-generation distillers Jack Lark (son of Tasmania’s veritable godfather of whisky, Bill) and Louis Duckett (son of Tasmanian Independent Bottlers and Heartwood Malt Whisky founder, Tim) are behind one of the state’s shortlist of absinthe labels. Gypsy Whisky Co.’s Local Absinthe takes the classic flavours of wormwood, fennel seed and anise commonly associated with the green fairy of drinks, and adds native lemon myrtle in a nod to the duo’s Tasmanian roots.
“We wanted to stay true to a traditional absinthe, but also explore how we could carve out our own identity in the global market,” Jack says. “The use of lemon myrtle gives a wonderful bright note and also honours the beautiful place in which we make our absinthe.”
Based on the French style but adapted for an Australian palate, Local Absinthe won a Gold Medal at the 2023 Melbourne Royal Awards for Australian Distilled Spirits, and has a devoted local following.
“Both of us love to drink and appreciate absinthe, so we thought we should help our friends in the hospitality industry by making one here in Tasmania,” Jack says. “We worked hard to create a spirit that could first and foremost be enjoyed on its own, in the traditional method with iced water and an ice cube, or in a delicious cocktail.”
OSARE LIQUORI DELLA TASMANIA
Pat Garnham developed an interest in traditional digestivi during early travels in Italy, later discovering the spice and complexity of homemade limoncello during his honeymoon in Sicily. Now, the marketing executive harnesses that inspiration under his side hustle, Osare Liquori della Tasmania, infusing local flavours into Italian-style aperitivi and digestivi. Osare’s hallmark Limoncello takes sweet lemons from suburban gardens and very little else to craft a Sicilian-style digestivo whose warm tones persist even when served chilled, as tradition suggests. Made in smaller volumes still, Osare’s Mirto liqueur is a summer release of just 50 bottles each year. This myrtle berry liqueur is made in the Sardinian style, and owes its hearty sweetness and hints of eucalyptus to the addition of Tasmanian Stringy Bark honey.
“The Mirto is a product of my natural curiosity about how Tasmanian botanicals can fit into the traditional flavour profile of digestivi, and the insider knowledge of my friends,” Pat says. “Nobody grows myrtle berries commercially in Australia, but I’ve been lucky enough to have my Sardinian friends point out the few Tasmanian gardens where I can forage them.”
▼
