Making Tasmanian whisky with Chris Condon

What do award-winning Tasmanian whisky and heritage aviation have in common?

Where passengers and freight once boarded flights, single-malt whisky now matures in oak casks. Distiller Chris Condon reveals how a historic airport hangar became Launceston Distillery – and why it’s the perfect home for spirits.

“When I tell people I'm a whisky distiller the most common comment I get is: ‘Do you need more taste testers?’” Chris laughs.

Smooth, sweet, spicy, smoky and just a little bit sassy – Tasmanian whisky is a perfect winter companion. It’s the kind of silky spirit that invites you to slow down, sit back and embrace the Off Season charm as the complex flavours fill your senses and warm your core.

Welcome whisky’s warm embrace this Off Season at Launceston Distillery with a chance to fill your own 100ml bottle directly from the barrel. Continue the warm and fuzzy feeling with a Tassie Devil Gift Pack which contributes to the Save The Devil Appeal.

From aircraft hangar to home of artisan spirits

No stranger to brewing fine Tasmanian tipples, Chris’ journey to establish Launceston’s second ever distillery – and the first to open in 175 years – began over a decade ago.

“I've worked in Tasmania all my life,” Chris says. “I actually started off in the pharmaceutical industry and went to brewing at Boag’s. Then I found a job in the whisky industry.”

Together with a group of friends equally attracted to the amber elixir, he was inspired to start a distillery in his hometown.  

Launceston was the obvious gap in the whisky trail.

The dream: To produce whisky in the finest Scottish single-malt tradition, using only locally sourced ingredients. The scene: Hangar 17, where everything from barley milling to bottling takes place under one roof.

Built in 1932, this heritage-listed hangar is the oldest aviation building in Tasmania. Once home to Launceston's passenger terminal and later Ansett Airlines freight, in 2001 its doors were locked and the building sat disused until it was reborn as Launceston Distillery in 2013.

“There were 18 months of getting the birds out, building works, upgrading the power, getting the stills made – all while still working our day jobs,” he says.

“So, it was quite exciting in 2015 when we flicked the switch for the first time and turned the stills on.”

Launceston Distillery’s location, just 2min down the road from Launceston Airport and a 15min (15km) drive south of Launceston city, makes it a welcoming introduction to the Tasmanian whisky trail and convenient pre-departure stop for a tasting and keepsake.

What makes Tasmanian whisky special?

“To be a distiller in Tasmania I think I'm blessed,” admits Chris, citing the island’s clean air, pristine water and prime barley-growing conditions.

At Launceston Distillery, local malted barley and pure South Esk River water are combined with traditional techniques to craft single-malt whisky that is then matured onsite in Tawny, Apera (Australian sherry) and Bourbon oak casks. The result: a range of light, richly fortified and peated whiskies with intense aromas and, depending on the cask, notes of caramel, spicy oak, fruity and floral flavours.

Not a fan of whisky or never tried it before? “I’ve been there myself,” Chris sympathises. “The natural thing to think is that all whiskies are the same.”

Chris believes the beauty of Tasmanian whisky is its variety. From the types of grain and yeast used or the design of stills to different distillation and maturation methods, distillers can create a wide range of mouth-watering spirits.

And in Hangar 17, those same stable conditions once designed to protect aircraft are now ideal for barrel aging, where consistent ventilation and temperatures help whisky develop its character slowly and evenly.

An invitation to imbibe

Visitors can experience Launceston Distillery’s varied flavours and vintage hangar on a memorable guided tour.  Settle into an authentic plane seat while you learn more about the hangar’s storied past before exploring the distilling process and enjoying tastings of the distillery’s main range and limited editions.

Visitors aren't just tasting spirits - they're standing where Tasmania's connection to the wider world took flight.

“We walk them through our process from grain and water through to the barrels,” Chris says. “When we sit down and have a taste, they can see the impact of the production process and all those little steps along the way – how that actually manifests itself in the glass.

Grain, water and yeast; from something so simple you get something so complex and varied.

This Off Season, you also have the opportunity to fill and label your own 100ml bottle of sumptuous single-malt to take home. The offer includes a Tassie Devil Gift Pack containing a jar of whisky marmalade or whisky mustard from nearby Tasmanian Gourmet Sauce Company – each pack contributes to the Save The Tasmanian Devil Appeal.

A winter ritual

For Chris, a born-and-bred Launceston local, winter holds a special place in his heart. A favourite winter ritual is wrapping up in a beanie and coat to go for a crisp wintry walk.

“I love the fact we've got four distinct seasons,” he says, encouraging visitors to embrace the cold, especially in early August when the state celebrates Tasmanian Whisky Week.

“I just enjoy the simple things at the end of the day – that’s what winter is to me,” Chris says.  “Sitting in front of the fire with a whisky – that would be the ultimate.” 

Fire in the hearth and in the belly. What more could you want?