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Where is the whisky? - Australia's largest concentration of whisky distilleries can be found on the beautiful island paradise of Tasmania.

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Tasmania - Tassie whisky has been considered the world's best single malt. Surprisingly, Tasmanian whisky is better known in other parts of the world than in Australia itself.

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Peat - Tasmania has just about everything you need to make good whisky: water, barley, and even peat (although it’s different to that found in Scotland).

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Forefront - Australia’s new breed of whisky distilleries are at the very forefront of cutting-edge whisky. They challenge the nose, the palette, and of course, the liver.

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Champions - Without further ado, let us delve into the whisky world and see who's doing what...

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Starward Wine Cask Single Malt - Starward is one of the rising stars of the whisky world. Their products are starting to get people talking and appearing in cabinets of whisky enthusiasts.

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Wine time - The reason for its increased fame is the way the whisky is matured. It is aged in local barrels that were previously used to store wine.

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Complex - It boasts an incredibly balanced, complex flavour that goes from red berries to cinnamon and spice in a single mouthful.

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Award - It also won a Double Gold Medal at the World Spirit Awards in San Francisco in 2015.

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Sullivan’s Cove French Oak Cask - This whisky was voted The Worlds Best Single Malt Whisky in 2014. Sullivan’s Cove French Oak is aged using the absolute best French Oak barrels available anywhere.

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A first - It was the first single malt to win the coveted award that wasn’t made in either Japan or Scotland. Go Australia!

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Pricey - This fine brew will cost you a whopping AU$450 for a single bottle. Wow! Only for the true whisky lover.

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Hellyers Road Pinot Noir Finish - This fine concoction is aged in American oak barrels that were once used to make bourbon. It is then finished off in French oak barrels previously used to hold fine Tasmanian Pinot Noir.

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Tassie flavour - In true Tassie fashion, it’s made using the finest Tasmanian-grown barley and pure rainwater.

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High - This beast has a pretty high alcohol content and an intense taste of citrus, along with pepper and spice, that comes from the wine.

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Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Cask - The slightly less-expensive little brother of Sullivan’s Cove French Oak. This one is aged in fine American oak barrels, giving it a more bourbon-like, balanced finish.

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Another first - This was the first Australian whisky to be rated as “Liquid Gold” in Jim Murray’s whisky bible. It boasts rounded flavours of sweet Tasmanian barley, fruit, citrus, and vanilla.

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Winner - This one is a real award winner. It was twice named the Best Whisky in the Rest of the World at the World Whisky Awards. It also won Double Gold at the 2015 World Spirits Competition.

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Bakery Hill Cask Strength - Little known fact: many whisky distillers tamper with the alcohol content after the whisky has been taken out of its casks to make it tastier. Bakery Hill doesn’t mess with a thing.

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Strewth - Every bottle of Cask Strength is taken from a single brew in a single barrel at cask strength, meaning a 500 ml bottle is about 60%. You have been warned.

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Strength - Don't let the brazen alcohol content put you off. Add a splash of water and you’re left with a flavourful, rich, smoky whisky.

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Tasmanian gold - Tasmania has everything needed to produce malt whisky: barley, water, suitable climate, and of course, that all important peat.

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Roll out the barrells - Tasmanian whisky is most often aged in ex-pinot, sherry, or bourbon casks. This is what gives the final whisky a complex and unique flavour.

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Limeburners Single Malt Whisky - Time to give the mainland some love! Every release of Limeburners is a single barrel expression of single malt whisky, with bottles individually numbered.

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Tasty - Its key characteristics include malt, spicy, cinnamon, fruit, and vanilla.

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New World Single Malt - This Victoria-based distillery is a relatively new kid on the block, in production for about a decade.

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Complex -

Their single malt Starward is youthful, rich, and bright. The team describes it as bold but delicate, youthful but mature, rich and contemplative, and surprisingly crisp.

See also: The best of British whisky

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