The Tamar Valley might be a region better known for pinot noir and panoramic views than pioneering American-style spirits – but a quiet revolution has been maturing in barrels of charred oak for half a decade. After years of patience, precision and passion, Turner Stillhouse has officially uncorked a new chapter in Tasmanian distilling history, releasing its very first whiskies. And among them is the island’s inaugural Bourbon-style whisky. T his release isn’t just another milestone for Turner Stillhouse. It’s a bold and deliberate expansion of Tasmania’s spirits landscape, adding American influence, experimental processes, and a fierce commitment to provenance. At the helm of it all is a California-born finance executive turned award- winning distiller with a love of whisky and a very good reason to call Tasmania home. Whisky wasn’t just part of the plan for founder Justin Turner – it was the plan. The original intention was always to make world class spirits, it was just a little more patience was needed when it came to the whisky side of the business. “Whisky is absolutely why I started the distillery. It’s my passion, and it’s exciting to see these whiskies
finally coming to market, bringing something different and completely new,” says Justin. “I founded the distillery in late 2018… while our whiskies were patiently aging, we released our Three Cuts Gin in the market back in early 2019 and it’s just grown from strength to strength in that time. But my passion has always been on the whisky side of things, and so we released our new whisky under the Rosevears name in late May of this year.” The long-awaited release of Rosevears Tasmanian Three Grain Whisky and Rosevears Single Malt Whisky (Bourbon Cask Matured) marks the distillery’s entry into the serious world of aged spirits. Unlike many quick-turnaround gins, whisky requires years of quiet maturation, and Turner Stillhouse has taken no shortcuts. From milling to mashing, fermenting to distilling, and ultimately ageing, the process is entirely grain-to- glass, with every step carried out onsite. True to their commitment to local provenance, both whiskies are made from 100 per cent Tasmanian grains and water drawn from the mountain highlands via the confluence of the North and South Esk Rivers. The Three Grain Whisky – a true Bourbon-style spirit – is a standout first. Made from a mash bill of
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Tasmanian Hospitality Review August/September Edition
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