'Nant' is Welsh for valley and The Nant Distillery is situated overlooking a valley in a beautiful part of central Tasmania's Highlands, in Bothwell. The distillery uses a resurected buildings from the 1800s, left derelect, waiting for a caring hand. Nant grinds the malted barley for the whisky has the water for the whisky drawn by a waterwheel. The Nant Distillery has become a tourist attraction in its own right now.
This is Nant's first release - the Double Malt. It's a 'vatted' or 'pure' malt - a combination of two single malts one aged in bourbon casks and one in sherry casks producing a whisky rich in colour and flavour. The Nant whisky is distinctively individual. Tasmania is producing a widely varied style of whiskies and this whisky is obviously very happy living at The Nant!
The Nant Distillery is part of a complex of property being restored from an old flour mill, bakery and stables in Bothwell, Central Tasmania. These old buildings have the barley malting floor, distillery and Atrium Lounge and Whisky Bar.
The Nant is fortunate to have the best of all the right ingredients on hand to make whisky part of the Estate. Central Tasmanian highland waters from the Clyde River feed the Mill Pond on the Estate. This magnificent soft water is conditioned by granite, sandstone and peat along its flow.
Tasmanian barley is world class and the Nant Estate is positioned perfectly to have this great supply for its whisky. Malting the barley is carried out onsite in the converted stable complex. The barley is mashed and brewed ready for distillation onsite. The stills have been designed and produced exclusively for the Nant Distillery to provide a spirit full of character and to have a smooth easy drinking style. The whisky spirit is aged in American and French oak barrels in an old sandstone building onsite, where they will rest in the quite and tranquillity of their surrounds. The barrels wer seasoned previously by ageing port, sherry or bourbon, which in turn has added flavour and character to the already flavoursome whisky spirit. The result is unique Tasmanian Highland Malt Whisky that truly speaks of the central highland environment from which it has been created.
The renovations at The Nant Estate have breathed life back into the old buildings, which were originally built between 1823 and 1857. Each element from the old water-driven flour mill to the homestead and farm complex has been restored and farming operation will continue the Angus cattle and Suffolk sheep breeding providing a balanced rural lifestyle. Visitors to The Nant Distillery produces a small number of high quality and unique boutique style whisky barrels each year.
