From clandestine convict distilleries to the world’s best whisky, The Australian Spirits Guide celebrates the stories past and present of Australia’s spirits industry. Join drinks writer and bartender Luke McCarthy as he unearths sixty of Australia’s best spirits, from whisky, gin and vodka, to rum, brandy, moonshine and other local specialties.
The Australian Spirits Guide is a celebration of the complicated heritage and promising future of the distiller’s art Down Under. Australia’s unheralded distilling industry has arrived, and this book will show you where it came from, where it’s going, and how it rose to produce some of the world’s finest booze For each spirit, discover the history and passion behind its creation, as well as expert tasting notes, serving suggestions and cocktail recipes from the country’s best bartenders. You’ll also find price guides that will steer you to the best bottle for your tastes and budget.
The spirits industry has expanded rapidly in the past few years, with craft distillers cropping up in every pocket of the world. Australian-made spirits are among some of the best. In the same year that multiple Australian gins won gold medals at international competitions, an Australian single malt whisky was crowned the best in the world.
Whether you’re a connoisseur with tastes more local than Lagavulin, or a beginner simply looking for a casual Friday night tipple, The Australian Spirits Guide is a valuable addition to any home bar (& a great Father’s Day gift idea!).
Once Luke McCarthy had completed studies in writing, literature and history he then, naturally, began working in bars. At the same time, travels around Europe and the UK ignited his passion for spirits, and when Luke started at Melbourne’s Whisky & Alement, a bar and school of whisky that stocks more than 700 spirits, his passion turned into a working obsession.
Soon he found himself writing a drinks column for Fairfax Media’s Executive Style and teaching classes on whisky and spirits for industry and the public. His writing on drinks and travel has now appeared in numerous Australian and international publications, and over the past few years Luke has hassled distillers and blenders in Scotland, Ireland, the United States, France, Spain, Taiwan and, of course, across Australia. He now divides his time between writing, bartending and trying to play cricket for Australia.
For those of us wanting to feel all warm & fuzzy about our local producers, there are 9 amazing SA distillers included in the book;
| SA | |
| – Adelaide Hills Distillery | Gin & Rum |
| – Applewood Distillery | Gin & Whisky |
| – Black Bottle Brandy Distillery | Brandy |
| – Grosset Wines | |
| – Kangaroo Island Spirits | Gin & Vodka |
| – McLaren Vale Distilling Company | Gin & Vodka |
| – Samuel Smith & Son | Gin |
| – St Agnes Distillery | Brandy |
| – Tin Shed Distilling Co | Whisky |
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