The Canberra Distillery
About the distillery
The Canberra Distillery is located in Mitchell in ACT, just ten minutes from Canberra city center. It is a small batch distillery focused on local flavor profiles and a curious approach to raw materials and flavor innovation. Here, whisky is made side by side with gin, rum, and liqueurs, and visitors can both taste and see the distillery in operation.
Raw materials and production
The distillery describes its approach as handmade and based on the essential raw ingredients: water, yeast, energy, fruit, grains, and also other possible raw materials. It is precisely this open, experimental framework that drives the work forward—new combinations can be tried out all the time, while the best are repeated and refined. The visitor can see that day’s distillation run, but no more detailed public description is given of mashing, fermenting, or the distillation apparatus itself.
Whiskies
The whisky range shown here is small and includes Lakoona Whisky and Old George Reserve Whisky 500ml among the current bottles. The focus is not on a large number of different editions, but on a few named whiskies within a wider house that also works with other spirit categories. This fits the distillery’s small batch format and its interest in flavor development rather than mass production.
| Whisky | Status |
|---|---|
| Lakoona Whisky | Current; Core range; For sale |
| Old George Reserve Whisky | Current; Core range; For sale |
General flavor profile
The whisky is linked to local flavor impressions and an experimental approach, but the provided text does not offer enough concrete aroma or taste notes to provide an overall style description.
Visit the distillery
The distillery is open for group tours and tastings on weekdays and Saturdays from 10:00 to 16:00. Visitors can book in advance, and an employee guides you through the experience with suggestions for garnishes and cocktails. There is also the option to buy in the shop and, if distilling is taking place that day, to see the still in operation during the visit.
The stated opening hours are 10:00–16:00 Monday to Saturday. Closed Sundays and on public holidays.
Philosophy and craftsmanship
The Canberra Distillery’s own line is clear: handmade spirits with a sense for place and purpose. The work is driven by a passion for local flavor profiles, a commitment to quality, and a continued search for flavor innovation. At the same time, there is a clear joy in the simple raw ingredients and in finding new combinations that can be refined over time.