Spring Bay Distillery

About the distillery

Spring Bay Distillery is located on the east coast of Tasmania, with a distillery in Cambridge and another spirits venue in Spring Beach. It is a family-owned house, founded by Cam and Suzy Brett, who since 2015 have been working with single malt whisky, coastal water, and carefully selected casks. What’s special about the place is the link between raw ingredients, sea air, and terroir.

History

Spring Bay Distillery began in 2015, when Cam and Suzy Brett realized their dream of building a distillery on Tasmania’s east coast. They had shared a love of whisky for more than 20 years and spent many years planning before the distillery was finally established. Since then, the work has focused on developing a single malt whisky, where premium Tasmanian barley, wash, distillation, cask selection, and the water from the coast together shape the house. The water gives a special profile thanks to the distillery’s close proximity to the sea, where sea mist and rainwater meet and give the spirit a clear local character. Cam and Suzy Brett also stand out as the people who drive the production and set the direction for the distillery’s style.

Raw materials and production

Spring Bay Distillery uses premium Tasmanian barley for its single malt whisky. The focus is on the entire chain, from the quality of the wash to distillation and the careful selection of casks. Water is a central part of the process: it’s described as a blend of East Tasmanian rainwater and the soft sea air around Spring Bay, and the distillery is located less than 500 meters from the ocean. During the afternoon, sea mist rises through the valley and falls on the roof, before the rain is later collected and becomes part of the water profile. This creates a clear coastal character that is built into the basis of the spirit. The producer also describes its other spirits as being built on premium botanicals and clean, soft rainwater, but the whisky is the most clearly presented as a grain-to-glass project with local barley and a strongly place-based water source.

Maturation and cask types

Maturation is documented using both aged and seasoned oak casks, and in the whisky range, there is also a muscat cask finish. This points to a house that treats cask selection and finishing as an important part of its style. The brandy is matured in the same types of old and seasoned oak casks, underlining that the wood’s previous life and age play a role in the house’s maturation profile. The specific details about longer maturation or other experiments are not expanded upon, but the casks are clearly used as a core part of the development of flavour and style.

Whiskies

The range is built around Tasmanian single malt whisky and a wider selection of spirits. On the whisky side, Rheban Collection (Cask Strength), Origins Collection, and Family Reserve Collection are especially highlighted, and there is also a 10th Anniversary Release in focus. This indicates a range that spans from core series to more distinctive special releases. The whisky appears as the central expression, while the rest of the house also produces gin, vodka, and brandy. For whisky lovers, the impression is of a range with clear local roots and different cask influences, rather than a large, anonymous base line.

The style and flavour profile of the whiskies

Across the documented products, a coastal and fruit-driven style comes through again and again. The water and sea air provide a maritime tone, while the brandy shows honey, raisins, and plum alongside apple, cinnamon, and ginger. The muscat finish points toward a sweeter, more wine-like direction, and the overall picture is of a house where fruit, spice, and oak meet the salty, soft coastal profile.

Visit the distillery

Spring Bay Distillery can be visited both in Cambridge and at Spring Beach. In Cambridge, the cellar door and distillery are only 15 minutes from Hobart, and distillery tours, cellar door tastings, and the Solera Experience are offered, where you can bottle your own whisky. At Spring Beach, cellar door tastings and the Premium Red Velvet Whisky Experience are available. Booking experiences is possible, and there is also a shop as well as several visitor locations, including Hobart Cellar Door & Distillery and the Salamanca Market.
See times and book a visit.

Philosophy and craftsmanship

The house builds its identity on family ownership, craftsmanship, and a strong local starting point. Cam and Suzy Brett have shaped the project themselves, and they place emphasis on quality at every step of the process. Tasmania’s terroir is not just a backdrop, but an active ingredient through barley, water, sea air, and the coastal location. The result is a production that seeks to be clearly Tasmanian in both its raw materials and its expressions.