Perth is widely regarded as the world's most isolated city, often teased to be some decades behind the rest of Australia. But the WAussies (also known as 'Sandgropers'), wouldn't have it any other way.
The charmingly quant city centre is only a fraction of the appeal of the unfathomably large landscape that is Western Australia. From the sprawling vineyards that lace the Darling Range and its valley's, to the rainforests of Albany, and all the way to the sunburnt outback of the Pilbara, there is one thing that stands out above all else - the weather.
And, to be more accurate, the range of weather.
Perth is known for its extended sunny seasons, with the sun even shining many days in winter, and it is through these warm days (among many things) that Perth has earned the titles of some of the world's best whiskies. The warmth is known to accelerate the aging process, by increasing the rate at which the flavours are infused by the barrels by expanding the wood to absorb more of the 'new-make' within. And when temperatures drop in the evenings, the barrels contract, forcing the spirit out again. Effectively, the barrels 'breathe' more quickly, infusing flavour at a faster rate as well as drawing out the impurities to give whisky its desired smoothness.
Coppertop Distillery's whisky is still aging - and we are waiting very impatiently for it to do so - but the quarterly tastings (and our sneaky stolen sips) give us an exciting glimpse into what lies ahead. Our upcoming Single Malt Whisky is aged in a range of American oak barrels, from Sherry, Pedro Ximenez and Bourbon-X, and is made from WA barley grain.
In the meantime, we encourage you to try spirits from some of our fellow WA distilleries (to name a few):
Whipper Snapper - Rich, unique spirits that showcase the best of WA. Their whiskey 'Upshot', has taken out the prize for Best International Corn Whiskey at the American Distilling Institute as well as the Best Australian Corn Whiskey at the World Whiskey Awards.
Great Northern Distillery - This boutique distillery houses the Kimberly Rum Company, and sport an impressive range of cane spirit, premium barrel-aged rum, gin, vodka and liqueurs. Try their Canefire Rum - awarded Double Gold and Best in Show on three continents!
Damaged Goods Distilling Co. - This eco-friendly distillery takes 'one man's trash is another man's treasure' to the next level, taking food waste left for scrap and distilling it into something beautiful. A distillery with a passion for zero-waste and sustainability, their spirits echo their passion. A drink with a good cause? Who could refuse!
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