Cape Byron Distillery Pty Ltd

About the distillery

Cape Byron Distillery is located by Byron Bay in the northern part of New South Wales, and is best known for Cape Byron Whisky, which matures in the subtropical rainforest in the hinterland. The site is framed by the Brook family’s macadamia farm, and the whisky clearly reflects both Australian terroir and a collaboration with Scottish master distiller Jim McEwan. For whisky lovers, it’s a distillery with a very strong sense of place, casks, and the maturation environment.

History

A distillery in the rainforest near Byron Bay

The distillery is located on the Brook family’s macadamia farm, surrounded by subtropical rainforest in the hinterland near Byron Bay. The family has tended the area for more than 35 years, and the site is a central part of the story of both the spirits and the visitor experience.

The collaboration behind Cape Byron Whisky

Cape Byron Whisky was developed in collaboration between co-founder and distiller Eddie Brook and Scottish master distiller Jim McEwan. The collaboration connects the Australian distillery to a classic Scottish whisky tradition, but with maturation and character anchored in the Byron Bay area.

Raw materials and production

Cape Byron works with single malt whisky and allows several of the expressions to mature in a very specific environment: they rest in the subtropical rainforest in Byron Bay’s hinterland. It’s part of the identity, and Eddie Brook himself describes that the whisky “lives and breathes” in the conditions the rainforest provides. The products also show that the distillery works with a range of different casks and finish types. American ex-bourbon casks, Australian chardonnay casks, viognier wine casks from Inkwell Wines in McLaren Vale, a Chardonnay Tawny Cask from Dutschke Wines, and French oak from Tonnellerie Meyrieux in Burgundy are used. In addition, there is an expression matured in ex-bourbon barrels that previously held Stone & Wood Stone Beer, and another where ex-bourbon barrels are seasoned with Mac. Liqueur. Several releases are non chill filtered and without added color. The overall picture is a distillery that actively uses cask selection and the maturation site to create different expressions around the same single malt base.

Maturation and cask types

Maturation is one of Cape Byron Whisky’s most distinctive signatures. The classic Original matures in American ex-bourbon casks, while Chardonnay Cask and Viognier Cask draw in fruity and vinous layers into the whisky. Tawny Cask is the most experimental of the documented releases, because it combines multiple casks and a finishing stage in shaved and re-charred French oak. The French Oak Cask expression again shows how French oak can be used to give a drier style and a more pronounced cask structure. Mac. Liqueur Cask is a unique idea, where ex-bourbon barrels are seasoned with macadamia- and wattle seed-liqueur before the whisky continues to mature. Shared by many of the expressions is that they are stored under the influence of the rainforest climate, which the distillery itself highlights as part of the final character.

Whiskies

The range consists of eight whiskies, spanning from the signature release The Original to several cask-influenced special releases. The Original serves as the house reference point, while Chardonnay Cask, Viognier Cask, and Stone Beer Cask show how wine and beer casks can bring different layers to the same style. Serendipity adds a smoky dimension, and the Single Cask Series expressions Tawny Cask and French Oak Cask are the more limited and technically minded bottlings. Mac. Liqueur Cask stands out as a very local and distinctive project, where macadamia plays a clear role. Overall, the portfolio is characterized by variation within single malt, but with a clear shared base of Australian terroir and rainforest maturation.

Whisky	Type / series	Alcohol	Age	Cask and style	Tasting profile	Status
Cape Byron ‘The Original’ Australian Single Malt Whisky	Australian single malt whisky; Cape Byron Whisky	47 %		American oak ex-bourbon casks	Batch 010, the distillery’s signature expression.; Taste: Soft vanilla, crème brulee, biscotti, pear, coconut, and buttery macadamia.	Current; Core range
Cape Byron 'Viognier Cask' Australian Single Malt Whisky	Australian single malt whisky; Cape Byron Whisky	46 %		Viognier wine casks	Limited release with final release description.; Taste: Stewed apple, spice, buttered croissant, mocha, papaya, and charred peach.	Current
Cape Byron Chardonnay Cask Australian Single Malt Whisky	Australian single malt whisky; Cape Byron Whisky	48 %		Australian chardonnay casks	A very limited final release.; Taste: Chocolate, hazelnut praline, raisin, baked apples, and maple.	Current
Cape Byron ‘Serendipity' Peated Single Malt Whisky	Single malt whisky; Cape Byron Whisky	46 %		American oak ex-bourbon casks; smoked/peaty	Batch 001.; Taste: Soft charred oak, lemon meringue, roasted nuts, delicate smoke, white peach, gingerbread, and shortbread.	Current
Cape Byron ‘Stone Beer Cask' Single Malt Whisky	Single malt whisky; Cape Byron Whisky	46 %		Ex-bourbon barrels previously filled with Stone Beer	Indulgent and smooth single malt.; Taste: Crème brûlée, vanilla custard, fresh orange zest, mocha, tiramisu, and lingering honey.; Finish: Sweet and satisfying finish.	Current
Cape Byron Single Cask Series 'Tawny Cask' Whisky		53.8 %	3.5 years	Chardonnay Tawny Cask	First release in the Single Cask Series.; Taste: Hazelnut cream, candied orange, toffee, and mocha.	Current; 395 bottles
Cape Byron Mac. Liqueur Cask Single Malt Whisky	Single malt whisky; Cape Byron Whisky	45 %	Over 3 years	Ex-bourbon barrels seasoned with Mac. Liqueur	World first macadamia liqueur cask whisky.; Taste: Buttery macadamia, cocoa, milk chocolate, dried apricot, orange marmalade, warmth and oak spice.; Finish: Warmth and oak spice.	Current
Cape Byron Single Cask Series 'French Oak Cask' Whisky		50 %		French oak; finish: Shaved and re-charred Tonnellerie Meyrieux French oak (Tradition medium plus)	Originally created exclusively for Lotte Travel Retail.; Nose: Honey, raisin, nougat, sandalwood, spice, oak.; Taste: Mocha, cocoa, butter, orange.; Finish: Dry style influence from the French oak.	Current

Whisky style and tasting profile

Cape Byron Whisky’s style ranges from soft vanilla, crème brûlée, and biscotti in The Original to pear, coconut, and buttery macadamia in the same expression. The cask-influenced expressions lean toward stewed apple, buttered croissant, mocha, papaya, and charred peach in Viognier Cask, while Chardonnay Cask offers chocolate, hazelnut praline, raisin, baked apples, and maple. Serendipity adds delicate smoke, soft charred oak, and lemon meringue, and the more specialized expressions go on to honey, sandalwood, toffee, orange marmalade, and oak spice. This creates a clear picture of a whisky range in which fruit, nuts, sweetness, and cask spice repeat across releases.

Visiting the distillery

The distillery can be visited, and the visit is about 15 minutes from Byron Bay. Guests are welcomed inside the facility in the middle of the subtropical rainforest and can experience the site as part of both spirit production and local nature. Guided tours and tastings are offered, and there is also a shop. The visit is therefore more than a look into the production; it’s a complete experience where you can both taste the house gin and whisky and see the environment to which the whisky’s maturation is tied.

Philosophy and craftsmanship

The distillery’s values are stated very directly: a passion for excellence, sustainability, and giving back to the local community. In addition comes the desire to create a new chapter in Australia’s distillery history. On the whisky side, the philosophy is just as concrete, because maturation in the subtropical rainforest and the use of special casks are intended as part of the identity—not as decoration around the product.

Awards and recognitions

Gold (2023, Gold, Cape Byron ‘The Original’ Australian Single Malt Whisky)
Silver (2023, Silver, Cape Byron ‘The Original’ Australian Single Malt Whisky)

Latest news

Join the Brookie's Boot Scoot – 2026-06-26

Another Boot Scoot will be held at the distillery with line dancing and RSVP sign-up for a lottery to secure a spot.

Follow the Spirit: Cape Byron Whisky’s Whisky Live Tour Dates Announced – 2026-04-14

The distillery will participate in the WHISKY LIVE Australia 2026 circuit with tastings of their signature single malts, matured in the salty air near Byron Bay.

BYRON BAY DEFIES FUEL CRISIS: Brookie’s Unveils High Octane Alternative to Unleaded 95 – 2026-04-01

Brookie’s launches a humorous April story about an alternative solution to fuel shortages, tied to the gin brand and not the whisky program.