The Guide to the Whiskies of Tasmania July 2015 | Page 9

Get ready, get set, . . .
Bill’s background in pharmacy, as the CEO of a

William McHenry & Sons, Port Arthur
Unlike most of the other Tasmanian whisky distilling
pioneers, Bill McHenry is not a native Tasmanian and,
indeed, until he and his family arrived from Sydney in
2008 he had no direct connection with the island.
However, the McHenry's quickly became immersed in
the Tasmanian way of life which enabled Bill McHenry
to realise his dream of replicating the heritage of his
forefathers who had come to Australia from Scotland
a couple of generations previously.
Bill McHenry (by Peter Jarvis)

manufacturing company, undoubtedly helped him master
the process of distilling and create an efficient production
unit which is neatly housed in a multipurpose barn which
embraces still house, warehouse and visitors’ reception
area. All is ready for the first McHenry spirit but as
distilling started only in January, 2012 it may be a year
or two until we get it in the bottle.
The copper pot still is only 500 L capacity but it is
embraced in a water jacket in the belief that this will
produce a lighter spirit and thus give the McHenry make
a particular characteristic to differentiate it from other
Tasmanian whiskies. The hope is to add a wash still
which would increase production four-fold.

His heritage lives on

Uniquely, therefore,
McHenry envisaged his
distilling business as an
extension of his heritage
and, true to that, he
then set about finding a
suitably remote location
which took him to the
hills above the now
infamous Port Arthur,
where he establi ͡