The Guide to the Whiskies of Tasmania July 2015 | Page 6

Belgrove Distillery, Kempton
Belgrove's uniqueness arises not just from the fact that
it is the only rye whisky distillery in Australia but also
because the owner, Peter Bignell, almost singlehandedly, undertakes every step of the process from
paddock to bottle on his beloved Belgrove Estate just
off the main north-south highway about an hour out of
Hobart. This means that all of the grain (barley and rye)
is grown on site, harvested, malted, distilled, and the
resulting spirit aged in wood and bottled at the distillery
location.

Hand made

Peter constructed the 600 litre pot still with his own
hands from sheet copper. A second still, to act as the
wash still, is planned. He also re-coopers his own
barrels. In other words,
he reconditions and
chars the barrels for
ageing whisky himself,
a task normally
undertaken by skilled
craftsmen. But then he
did get some insights
from Bill Owens of the
Charring the barrels
American Distilling Institute.
Peter’s main whisky products are a standard rye at
42%, and at cask strength, a peated rye and, somewhat
experimentally, an oat whisky, both also at 42%. There is
also a white rye spirit which is not classified as whisky.
The latter is bottled at just 2 months, but the whiskies at
over 2 years old, although the intention is to bottle at
greater maturity as stocks build up.
Although not formally
on the Tasmanian
Whisky Trail, casual
visitors are welcome
at Belgrove provided
they give the farmer/
distiller/owner advance
warning. Belgrove
House dates from the
Peter Bignell at the office
late 19th century and
Peter has been in situ since 2001.

Bio-fuelled

Remarkably, his farm
and distillery
equipment are entirely
bio-fuelled using waste
cooking oil from a
nearby fish and chip
shop! As if that were
not sufficiently
Peter Bignell in the warehouse
environmentally
engaged, all of the water used in the production process
comes from rain fall captured on the roofs of the various
farm and distillery buildings, although there are also
springs on the property which could be pressed into use
if needed. Moreover, the residual pulp from the distilling
process is fed to Peter's sheep who love it as an
alternative to their normal feed. They, in turn, provide
fertilizer for the next crop of rye!
Peter, who is a sixth generation Tasmanian farmer,
undertakes the bottling process in a room next to the still
house then lovingly applies the carefully crafted handwritten Belgrove labels, each one giving the date of
bottling, to the very distinctive rectangular bottles.

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