Craft Works Distillery
About the distillery
Craft Works Distillery is located in Capertee in New South Wales and makes Australian single malt whisky in a small, independent setup. The distillery works with NSW craft malted barley, local spring water, and a one of a kind NSW full copper pot still, and the range spans from sherry-influenced releases to more experimental, collaboration-based bottles.
History
A small distillery in country NSW
Craft Works describes itself as a small independent distillery in country NSW, and that identity is clear throughout the wording. The house works with Australian single malt, local raw materials, and a strong connection to Capertee, where both production and contact with the outside world are rooted. The name Crafty is used for the person behind several of the releases, and it gives the distillery a distinct personal touch.
Series and special releases become part of the identity
The range shows a distillery working in series and with standalone projects. There are, among other things, The Ages Series, I AM... and an Ironfest Spirits series, and 5Y5 is described as the last release in The Ages Series and the distillery’s final indie bottling. It tells the story of a small house that uses freedom and variation as part of its way of making whisky.
Raw materials and production
The core of the production is simple and clearly local. Craft Works uses NSW craft malted barley and local spring water, and the spirit is distilled on a one of a kind NSW full copper pot still. It’s a classic Scotland-inspired approach in an Australian setting, but with local grain and water as the main ingredients. The official text does not describe fermentation time, mashing, or details of the fermentation, so the most distinctive thing here is the connection between the raw materials and the place. The distillery also works with spirit from other distilleries in some releases—such as when 2 Sheds is built on new make spirit from Tin Shed Distillery in South Australia—and it shows a willingness to expand the palette without losing focus on its own identity.
Maturation and cask types
Maturation is actively used as a tool for flavor and style. I AM... is made up of different Spanish sherry casks, including PX, Oloroso, and Manzanilla, which allows for great complexity and a clearly sherried profile. 5Y5 is matured in Capertee for five years and is marked as the last release in The Ages Series. 2 Sheds is matured in the distillery’s own tin shed in Capertee, which leaves a very specific, place-based trace in the maturation. Taken together, the releases show that maturation ranges from classic sherry casks to more informal, location-specific storage conditions.
Whiskies
The range doesn’t appear as a fixed, large baseline, but rather as a series of named single malt releases and series. Among the items you’ll find I AM..., The Capertee Whisky, 5Y5, 2 Sheds, Spirit of the Man, Redacted, and the limited Ironfest 'Wlonk' Smoked Whisky. This gives the impression of a distillery where each whisky gets its own identity and often its own theme. Some bottles are clearly tied to specific casks or maturation conditions, while others are more conceptual. The common thread is a small, personal production with the freedom to vary the expression from release to release.
| Whisky | Type / series | Age | Cask and style | Flavor profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ironfest 'Wlonk' Smoked Whisky | Single Malt; Ironfest Spirits series | A limited release in the Ironfest Spirits series from 2026. | Limited | ||
| 2 Sheds | Single Malt | New make spirit from Tin Shed Distillery in South Australia, matured in Capertee NSW. | |||
| 5Y5 | Single Malt; The Ages Series | 5 yrs | New Make Spirit from an NSW distillery, matured for 5 years in Capertee NSW. The last release in The Ages Series and the distillery’s final indie bottling. | Discontinued | |
| I AM... | Single Malt | Spanish sherry casks | The distillery’s biggest release in the I AM... series, made from different Spanish sherry casks. | ||
| Redacted | Single Malt | A political protest release. | |||
| Spirit of the Man | Single Malt | Named after Crafty’s daughter’s drawing of Bruce Lee and linked with spirit from Manly. | |||
| The Capertee Whisky | A whisky with rich sweetness, rum-like character, and clear warmth.; Taste: toffee, treacle, rumy and a bit of tasty heat |
The style and flavor profile of the whiskies
The style points toward richness and sweetness, with toffee and treacle as clear anchors in The Capertee Whisky. I AM... moves in a more complex, sherry-driven direction, with PX, Oloroso, and Manzanilla as its foundation, while Ironfest 'Wlonk' Smoked Whisky suggests a smoky dimension. At the same time, descriptions like rumy and tasty heat add a warm, spicy finish to the overall picture. The total expression is therefore dark, sweet, and clearly cask-influenced, with room for both smoke and a light, burning warmth.
Visiting the distillery
Craft Works Distillery can be visited via the listed address in Capertee, and both a phone number and email contact are provided. This makes it possible to get in direct contact with the distillery. In the supplied material, there are no fixed opening hours, guided tours, or tastings described, so visit planning must be done directly with the distillery.
Philosophy and craft
Craft Works works from a clearly local, craft-oriented idea: Australian single malt from a small distillery in country NSW, made with NSW craft malted barley, local spring water, and an NSW full copper pot still. The personal touch is strong, both in the naming and in the use of series and special releases. At the same time, the releases show a desire to experiment with sherry casks, collaboration spirits, and location-based maturation conditions—without losing the connection to Capertee.