Kinglake 2018 Vintage Single Cask

Hidden away on the fringes of Kinglake National Park, Kinglake Distillery is a quiet study in patience, place and purpose. Set on a 50-acre off-grid property in central Victoria, around 55 kilometres northeast of Melbourne and not far from the Yarra Valley, the distillery was founded in 2018 with a simple guiding idea: work with nature, not against it.

Co-founder Chantal Daniels was raised in Kinglake, her family owning a flower farm established by her grandfather. But as is often the case, upon completion of her Master’s degree in Applied Science, Chantal set off overseas, picking up hospitality work to make ends meet. One of these jobs was at a French ski resort, and it was there that she met après-ski bar owner and UK ex-pat, Sam Lowe. Sam and Chantal hit it off and with a mutual love for whisky, it was decided to sell the bar to provide the capital to begin building a distillery back in Kinglake.

Two years were spent experimenting with barley varieties and refining the flavour profile they wanted to create. From the outset, Kinglake committed to sourcing Australian ingredients wherever possible. Their single malt mash bill brings together four distinct malts; three single-origin malts from Voyager Malt, all fully traceable, including an Atlas malt in the Maris Otter style, a Vienna malt reminiscent of traditional schooner malts, and a chocolate roasted malt. To complete the profile and add depth and balance to the spirit, a portion of heavily peated malt is sourced from Simpsons Malt in Scotland, a deliberate choice made in recognition of the absence of peated malting houses in Australia.

Water comes from the spring-fed lake at the heart of the property. It is unfiltered, untreated and central to the character of the whisky.

Thanks to its isolated and unpolluted location, Kinglake is one of the rare Australian distilleries able to ferment with open doors and open tanks. Surrounded by gum trees, the air is heavy with eucalyptus. Fermentation takes place in their six Italian-made 2,500-litre dimple-plated stainless steel open-top fermenters, each fitted with cooling jackets to carefully manage temperature as the distiller's yeast works its magic. Fermentation lasts for 7 days, with the tanks left open inviting native pollen and wild yeasts to become part of the process. 

Distillation takes place in a single 2,500-litre Knapp Lewer copper pot still, heated by a steam coil system that allows an exceptional level of control. Using a fine needle valve, heat can be adjusted with a level of precision electric elements can not offer. This control allows the team to cut deep into the feints, shaping what they describe as a distinctly “Kinglakely” spirit. True to their off-grid ethos, gas is used to heat the boiler as the most efficient option for a still of this size.

New-make production averages between 450 and 500 litres per week with around 12,500 litres of spirit being made per year. Plans are already in place to lift output to 20,000 litres, but the facility is capable of producing up to 60,000 litres annually as it stands. 

Maturation has always leaned towards ex-Bourbon casks, reflecting Chantal and Sam’s shared love of this style of Scotch whisky. Early fills focused on smaller 50-litre barrels, with some ex-fortified casks added into the mix. Today, maturation continues primarily in ex-Bourbon casks ranging from 50 to 200 litres, allowing careful control over wood influence over the years. Kinglake’s climate adds another layer of complexity. While Australia is known for dramatic temperature swings during ageing, the region’s higher humidity sets the distillery apart, and experiments with open-air ageing are ongoing.

At Kinglake Distillery, sustainability is not an afterthought, but a foundational philosophy. The distillery is largely powered by solar energy, water is recycled wherever possible, and operations are almost entirely off-grid and carbon neutral. This philosophy extends to cask selection, with a portion of Bourbon barrels sourced from certified organic Bourbon distilleries. Kinglake was the first distillery to release an Australian certified carbon neutral whisky, achieved through a full carbon footprint audit, a commitment to ongoing annual reductions, and government-approved offsetting.

Further, a third of the property has been formally covenanted for rewilding, bringing back the lush native temperate forest, restoring natural habitat for flora and fauna and creating a long-term carbon sink.

Nothing is wasted. Spent grain is collected by local farmers and reused as livestock feed, while the nutrient-rich pot ale left after distillation is returned to the land as a natural soil enhancer. 

At Kinglake Distillery, whisky is not simply made; it is grown out of place, shaped by climate, community and a deep respect for the land that sustains it.