Our Article in the Central Western Daily

Earlier on this month our distillery was featured in the Central Western Daily.

“Over in Spring Hill, the Jones and the Smiths have whiskey barreled in oak waiting its legally- required two years before its “maybe” release in 2020.

Kylie Smith said the business will trial non-traditionally used barrels too such as ex-French oak barrels from wineries including Patina Wines, for an Orange Wine Series of whisky releases.

“The only way you can tell what works is at the end of the two years – we’re pretty excited to see if it pays off,” she said.

Mrs Smith’s background is architecture, but her and paramedic husband Nick Smith have been on a “steep learning curve” to support her parents, Tony and Dot Jones’ dream of opening a distillery.

The previous owners of TJ’s Newsagency purchased their property in Spring Hill in 2000, with the intention of eventually producing alcohol there.

In 2017 the Jones, Mrs Smith and her then one-year old Theodore, took a trip to Tasmania where the distilling boom had already taken off, to see if the idea had legs.

A reconnaissance mission around Australia followed, before father and daughter enrolled in a distilling course.

With whiskey in the works, the Jones and Smith family plan to expand to gin production eventually and partner with wineries to produce brandy.

The two Orange businesses will join the ranks of around 100 distilleries now open in Australia, up from about 10 a few years ago.

Mrs Smith said the 16 hour days her and Mr Smith have put in “mashing wheat” between his ambulance shifts, have been much more physical than expected.

The family has worked to make the operation as sustainable as possible, with waste from the malted barley used as fertiliser on their cattle farm and water being treated for irrigation.

If all goes to plan, Mrs Smith would like to use her architect experience to “dream big” for their 2020 cellar door idea.“