It’s sure been a massive few years for the Cape Byron team, lead by co-founders Eddie Brook and master distiller Jim McEwan. On the back of the success of Byron Bay’s first-ever gin, we’ve since seen the release of Brookie’s Slow Gin and the sweet new family member, a macadamia and wattleseed liquer named Mac. Given the world’s penchant for whisky, it seemed only natural for this awarded Byron Bay gin distillery to write single-malt whisky production into its next chapter.

Cape Byron’s whisky journey begins with a beer ‘wash’, which is being produced (using malted barley as the preferred grain) just up the road by the fine folk from Stone & Wood. The team will use the same custom-made 2,000-litre Tasmanian copper pot still that produces Brookie’s Gin for the new whisky production, while American oak whisk(e)y casks from Tennessee and Kentucky will be used to age and mature the single-malt whisky over the coming years. Like all good things, whisky takes time – but there’s plenty of Brookie’s creations (pals, that slow gin is a dream – seek it out) to keep you occupied until then.

For more information, scoot over to the Cape Byron Distillery website.