Hunter Island Tasmanian Pot Still Whisky First Release 700ml 48%

The inaugural release from the library of Damian and Madeleine Mackey that yielded 110 bottles

Details
700ml: 48% alc
Region: New Town, Tasmania
Cask type: Bourbon/Port/Oloroso
Bottler: Hunter Island Distillery
Release No: 1
Distillation year: 2020
Release date: 27th of February 2023
Individually Numbered

Description
Damian and Madeleine Mackay of Mackey whisky, Poltergeist Gin and Shene fame have just launched their latest project, Hunter Island Whisky, taking inspiration from Ireland’s triple distilled, single pot still whiskies and we’re elated to have them join our Australian whisky portfolio.

This 1st release was triple-distilled at the Mackey’s temporary distillery in New Town, Tasmania from a mash bill of 65% malted barley, 30% unmalted barley and 5% oats. The liquid was then transferred to 30L ex-port and ex-oloroso sherry casks for maturation before been married together and finished in a 125L ex-bourbon cask for bottling.

Each bottle is numbered, signed by Damian Mackey and comes with an information booklet, all enclosed in a Tasmanian oak box hand crafted by Tasmanian boat builder Adrian Phillips.

What is Single Pot Still Whisk(e)y?
It’s an Irish style of whiskey that’s required to be made in a copper pot still, and is almost always triple distilled. The exact mashbill ratios to qualify currently consists of 30% minimum malted barley, 30% minimum unmalted barley and a maximum of 5% other grains. This includes a tweak to the current mash bill legislation using the ‘30/30/30 Rule’ allowing for up to 30% of ‘other grains’ instead of the capped 5%.  Although this rule hasn’t been signed off as gospel just yet, it’s firmly believed the law will change in the very near future with distilleries already producing mashbills using the ‘30/30/30 Rule’.