shows, and the rest are – not to be dismissed at all – but those two are kind of at the highest level. The judges are just much more educated, they have a better tasting process when they’re tasting the spirits and are more technically sound. “In London, International Wine and Spirits is one of the most premium, well respected and longest running spirit shows globally. We’ll call it the Oscars of the spirits world, if you want to do an analogy, and we’ve always performed well. We’ve won gold across four of our different gins at that event. And just winning gold on any spirit, most distilleries would be lucky to get once in their lifetime. So, to get four across our different gins is great and this year, culminating with a Spirit Gold Outstanding on our Three Cuts Distiller’s release, 98 points. 98 points is in rarefied air, rarefied territory, so we were just one of eight out of over 5000 entries got that score, and we’re up for world best gin this year. “It’s the highest score of any Tasmanian spirit ever in history across whisky, gin, vodka and so forth. We’re pretty excited to be representing Tasmania on the world stage. It’s a one of eight chance, I couldn’t tell you what the what the odds are actually winning but fingers crossed. It could be just an amazing, amazing win if we get it. But if not, we’re just happy to be nominated in that top eight in the world, out of thousands of entries. Although Turner Stillhouse is now armed with a portfolio of premium spirits, the experience extends beyond the bottle. For visitors to the Tamar Valley, the distillery offers a destination all its own. Set on the grounds of Tamar Ridge, and sharing the estate with the Brown Family Wine Group, Turner Stillhouse is likely the only place in Australia where you can enjoy a world-class wine and spirits tasting in a single visit, all against the backdrop of the Tamar River and rolling vineyard hills. The collaboration between winery and distillery isn’t just about convenience, it’s a deliberate synergy that reflects Justin’s own upbringing where his palate was shaped by time spent at his parents’ winery in
California. That early exposure to fermentation, flavour development, and cellar-door hospitality still influences the way he runs the business. “People are generally looking for an interactive, more engaging experience these days. So just going into a bar to have a taste of a product is great, but if you can actually see how things are made, it’s even better. And we created our distillery, this architect-designed distillery so when you walk in, you go on a bit of a journey, and you just see everything happening on the distillery floor below you. “There’s no secrets. It’s very transparent, we do everything in house, and customers love that. And the fact you can come here and try our whisky aged in that Pinot cask, and then go next door and have a glass of [Tamar Ridge] Pinot is unique. You won’t find that anywhere in the country with a distillery and a winery on the same property.” Despite the sustained early success for Turner Stillhouse, there is no resting on the laurels. The launch of Tasmania’s first Bourbon-style whisky is a statement in itself: this is a distillery that won’t be boxed in by tradition. But neither will it ignore it. Every drop of whisky and gin, every tour given, and every bottle signed carries the weight of intention. Local ingredients. Experimental methods. A reverence for craftsmanship. And above all, a genuine passion for sharing something truly Tasmanian with the world. “You’re trying to create and put something out that you hope consumers will appreciate and enjoy, because otherwise, there’s no point doing this. But also, we take some risks here and we try to do things a little bit uniquely, with different equipment and approaches to our distillation, but really embracing Tasmanian grains and water and the process.” The global accolades might keep stacking up, but the true success of Turner Stillhouse might just lie in its ability to stay true to its roots, even as it rewrites the script.
GIVE THEM SONGS TO SIP TO Get licensed with OneMusic
12
Tasmanian Hospitality Review August/September Edition
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software