Tasmania is set to host a new whisky festival this year, with the inaugural Great Eastern Whisky Weekend to be held on the state’s East Coast in August.
The event will kick off the 2024 Tasmanian Whisky Week, which runs from August 5th to 11th.
“Tasmania is the whisky destination of Australia, and Tasmanian Whisky Week is the event to celebrate,” Tasmanian Whisky and Spirits Association Coordinator Almer Elzink said.
“This year the focus is on bringing the visitor to the source of the action with more daytime tours to the cellar doors, part of the Tasmanian Whisky and Spirits trail, and more events hosted at the distilleries.”
The program will kick off with the Great Eastern Whisky Weekend at Ironhouse Distillery at Four Mile Creek, before distillery tours right across the state.
A variety of experiences are set to be held across the week, including a Malted Maritime Adventure with Penny Royal Adventures and a Drag and Dram event hosted by Hobart’s “most glamorous queens”.
Another themed event, The Irish Connection, will showcase triple-distilled and pure pot still whiskey made in Tasmania, while Not Just Single Malt will offer tastings of different expressions like rye grain whisky and experimental blends.
Tasmanian Whiskey and Spirits Association President Kristy Lark-Booth says the festival is a great opportunity for locals and visitors alike to get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the state’s most popular distilleries.
She says visitors are attracted into Tasmania and are then dispersed into the regions to sample the produce.
“There’s a lot of distilleries not open to the public, and [in Whisky Week] the public then get a chance to go in there.
“They can talk to the distillers, to the people making the decisions and making the whiskey themselves and really get an idea and understanding of what’s involved and the love, care and attention that goes into creating this world-class spirit.”
Destination Southern Tasmania CEO Alex Heroys says the festival is also a crucial driver of the state’s economy during the quieter winter months.
“We have examples of trade missions that have gone to Ireland and to Scotland. Whenever you mention Tasmania, the first thing those people say over there ‘is you’re doing an amazing thing with whisky’.”
It is estimated that around 60% of visitors to the festival will come from interstate, with the remaining 40% travelling within the state.
Tasmanian Whisky Week began in 2016 with a handful of participating distilleries and has since grown to over 40, with more than 1,300 guests attending events across the state.
