Whisky production goes from strength to strength

Six o’clock. Whisky time. This has been a ritual at our place, on-and-off, for years. Recently, we’ve been observing it a lot more on than off. Sitting down with a glass of fine single malt or excellent rye offers a moment to pause and reflect on the weird shapelessness of our days right now.

I have a few more whiskies than usual to choose from at the moment, too, because the spirits industry – or, rather, the promotions arm of the industry – has shown little sign of slowing down during the pandemic.

Whether it’s the launch of the latest rare, luxury scotch or the Australian arrival of a new brand from an unexpected country, the breathless press releases have been coming in thick and fast – often accompanied by tasting samples. Lucky me.

And, it appears, lucky you. Australian whisky lovers have been lapping up this flood of new bottles while in isolation.

A couple of months ago, Sullivans Cove distillery in Tasmania sent an email to customers announcing the release of their newest single-barrel American oak cask release: just 250 bottles of it at $330 a pop. Forty-five minutes later the distillery sent another email saying they’d sold out.

In March, drinks multinational Diageo launched a “special release” collection of eight cask-strength single malts, ranging in price from $150 to $2500 a bottle. Most have already been snapped up – although one of the best is still available in a few places (and it’s far from the most expensive: see my review, below).

And on World Whisky Day, May 18, Melbourne distillery Starward released the fifth batch of its delicious Ginger Beer Cask Whisky. A couple of days later, all 850 bottles – $119 each, and only 500ml – were gone.

My household, obviously, is not the only one wholeheartedly embracing the six o’clock whisky ritual.