Australian whisky is no longer the quiet achiever on the global spirits stage. Whether measured by award wins or an ever-increasing demand in key export markets, it's bold and inventive nature is seeing the category's momentum continue to grow.
澳洲威士忌在全球烈酒舞台上不再默默無聞。無論是以獲獎數量或是在主要出口市場不斷增長的需求來衡量，其大膽創新的特質正推動著該品類持續成長。
Australian whisky also remains stylistically diverse, with vastly different approaches proving successful for many leading Australian distilleries. This has led to questions about how the category should collectively brand and market itself on the world stage, including whether a collective Australian Whisky identity is needed: if consumers can confidently expect different products within a category to share similar characteristics, the job of retailers and importers is simplified.
澳洲威士忌風格多樣，許多領先的澳洲釀酒廠都嘗試過各種不同的方法，並最終取得成功。這引發了一些問題：該如何打造澳洲威士忌的品牌形象，並在世界舞台上行銷 ？這包括是否需要一個統一的澳洲威士忌身分：如果消費者能夠自信地預期同一類別中的不同產品具有相似的特徵，那麼零售商和進口商的工作就會變得簡單。
As Publishing Editor Ashley Pini writes in the latest issue of Drinks Trade Magazine, “Australian whisky tends to be rich, bold, and cask-forward, a product of both our climate and our willingness to break with tradition ... For years, the category has borrowed comparisons from Scotch or Japanese whisky, but increasingly, a distinct local style is emerging."
正如出版編輯阿什利·皮尼 (Ashley Pini) 在最新一期的《飲料貿易雜誌》 中所寫，“澳大利亞威士忌往往口感濃鬱、醇厚、帶有原桶陳釀的風味，這既源於我們的氣候，也源於我們打破傳統的意願......多年來，澳大利亞威士忌一直與蘇格蘭威士忌或日本威士忌相提並論，但如今，一種獨特的當地風格正在逐漸顯現。”
Adding another dimension to the conversation, Tasmania's premier contract distillery Greenbanks is looking to spearhead not just Australian whisky but specifically Tasmanian whisky on the global stage.
為討論增添另一個維度的是，塔斯馬尼亞首屈一指的合約釀酒廠 Greenbanks 希望在全球舞台上引領不僅是澳洲威士忌，而且特別是塔斯馬尼亞威士忌。
"The Tassie whisky industry is probably where Australian wine was a few decades ago, but we see enormous potential," co-founder and Executive Director Hugh Roxburgh tells Drinks Trade.
「塔斯馬尼亞威士忌產業可能就像幾十年前的澳洲葡萄酒一樣，但我們看到了巨大的潛力，」聯合創始人兼執行董事休·羅克斯堡 (Hugh Roxburgh) 告訴 Drinks Trade 。
“We think Tasmanian whisky has got the potential to be the sixth, and next big, great whisky province of the world.”
“我們認為塔斯馬尼亞威士忌有潛力成為世界第六大威士忌產區，也是下一個偉大的威士忌產區。”
Of course, Tasmania is where Australian whisky first started when, in 1992, Bill Lark founded the state’s first licensed distillery in more than 150 years. In the decades following, Tasmanian distilleries Lark Distilling, Sullivans Cove and Hellyers Road have been lauded for establishing the blueprint for commercially viable Australian single malts.
當然，塔斯馬尼亞是澳洲威士忌的發源地。 1992 年，比爾·拉克（Bill Lark）創立了塔斯馬尼亞州 150 多年來第一家獲得許可的釀酒廠。在接下來的幾十年裡，塔斯馬尼亞的拉克釀酒廠（Lark Distilling）、蘇利文灣釀酒廠（Sullivans Cove）和赫利爾斯路釀酒廠（Hellyers Road）因開創了澳洲單一麥芽威士忌的商業化藍圖而備受讚譽。
Reflecting on this, Roxburgh says “they've done a fantastic job at creating a category onto itself, being Tasmanian whisky, which is recognised by big global majors,” before noting that, to this day, “the issue the industry still faces is the lack of supply and really high price points.”
反思這一點，羅克斯堡表示：“他們在打造塔斯馬尼亞威士忌這一類別方面做得非常出色，得到了全球各大威士忌公司的認可。”他同時指出，直到今天，“該行業仍然面臨的問題是供應不足和價格過高。”
If the Tasmanian whisky category is to expand its export presence globally, it must significantly increase its scale of production: something that Greenbanks is hoping to play a key role in.
如果塔斯馬尼亞威士忌想要擴大其全球出口份額，就必須大幅增加其生產規模：而格林班克斯希望在這方面發揮關鍵作用。
“Look at Japan, which we think is a fantastic case study for the potential of Tasmanian whisky: Japan produces about 150, 200 million LAOs [litres of pure alcohol], so it puts it into perspective when Tasmania produces only half a million currently. The capacity is probably more like 2 million LAOs," said Roxburgh.
「看看日本，我們認為這是研究塔斯馬尼亞威士忌潛力的絕佳案例：日本每年生產約 1.5 億至 2 億升純酒精（LAO），而塔斯馬尼亞目前的產量僅為 50 萬升，這讓我們看清了塔斯馬尼亞的威士忌市場。塔斯馬尼亞的年產量可能在 200 萬升左右。」羅克斯堡說道。
"There's enormous potential there, but you need 6 to 12 really successful Tasmanian whisky brands to be able to get shelf presence and a Tasmanian whisky shelf in the supermarkets and retailers in Korea or Japan or in the UK or wherever it might be."
「那裡有巨大的潛力，但你需要 6 到 12 個真正成功的塔斯馬尼亞威士忌品牌才能在韓國、日本、英國或任何地方的超市和零售店中佔有一席之地。”
Hugh Roxburgh at the Greenbanks distillery in Bridgewater, Tasmania
休‧羅克斯堡 (Hugh Roxburgh) 在塔斯馬尼亞州布里奇沃特的格林班克斯釀酒廠
Beyond single malt: Diversifying Tasmanian, and Australian, whisky
超越單一麥芽威士忌：塔斯馬尼亞和澳洲威士忌的多樣化
Another key trend emerging in Australia is a diversification beyond malted barley to other grain types. Some, like Archie Rose, are even malting their own grain or developing custom malt streams in collaboration with growers.
澳洲正在出現的另一個重要趨勢是，除了麥芽大麥之外，穀物品種也更加多樣化。一些公司，例如 Archie Rose，甚至開始自行生產麥芽，或與種植者合作開發客製化麥芽流。
Other distilleries such as Top Shelf's NED Australian Whisky and Morris Distillery's 36 South, which uses locally sourced grains of wheat and barley, are experimenting with unique mash-bills to increase approachability.
其他釀酒廠，如 Top Shelf 的 NED Australian Whisky 和 Morris Distillery 的 36 South，都使用當地出產的小麥和大麥，正在嘗試獨特的麥芽漿配方，以提高啤酒的可飲用性。
"We wanted to make an approachable, quality Australian whisky at MORRIS, one that would appeal to drinkers who are new to Australian Whisky or bourbon drinkers who are curious to try something new," Morris Distillery's Master Distiller Darren Peck tells Drinks Trade.
莫里斯酒廠的首席釀酒師達倫·佩克 (Darren Peck) 告訴 Drinks Trade：“我們希望在莫里斯酒廠釀造出一款平易近人的優質澳大利亞威士忌，能夠吸引那些剛接觸澳大利亞威士忌的飲酒者，或者那些想嘗試新酒的波本威士忌飲酒者 。”
"I’ve gone for a really approachable whisky especially suited to those who prefer a bourbon flavour profile or are new to Australian Whisky. It’s actually so drinkable and so good when mixed with cola or dry ginger ale, I see it going after the bourbon market, and that’s where we really need to be saying why the hell are we drinking American whisky when we’ve got such good Australian whisky right here at home?"
我選擇了一款真正平易近人的威士忌，尤其適合喜歡波本威士忌風味或剛接觸澳洲威士忌的人。它實際上非常好喝，而且與可樂或乾薑汁汽水混合時口感極佳，我認為它會搶佔波本威士忌市場。正因如此，我們才真正需要反思，既然我們自己就有這麼好的澳洲威士忌，為什麼還要喝美國威士忌呢？
Just last week, Turner Stillhouse officially launched Tasmania's first ever Bourbon-style whiskey: Rosevears Tasmanian Three Grain
就在上週，Turner Stillhouse 正式推出了塔斯馬尼亞首款波本風格威士忌：Rosevears Tasmanian Three Grain
Similarly, diversity is also key a focus point at Greenbanks’ contract distilling operation. “One great advantage that Tasmania has is the grain growing production: and it's malted barley, but it's also wheat, rye, oats, even corn. The single malts are fantastic, but experimenting with different cast types/different grains and things: I think that's something that's really exciting and it hasn't been done overseas.
同樣，多元化也是 Greenbanks 合約蒸餾業務的重點。 「塔斯馬尼亞的一大優勢是穀物種植：除了麥芽大麥，還有小麥、黑麥、燕麥，甚至玉米。單一麥芽威士忌非常棒，但嘗試不同的品種/不同的穀物等等：我認為這是一件非常令人興奮的事情，而且在海外還沒有做過。”
Roxburgh continues: “Look at Scotland: only 10 per cent of whisky that's produced in Scotland is single malt. 90 per cent is not single malt."
羅克斯堡繼續說道：“看看蘇格蘭：在蘇格蘭生產的威士忌中，只有 10% 是單一麥芽威士忌，而 90% 都不是單一麥芽威士忌。”
This mix of base grain also directly lends itself to greater stylistic diversity and production flexibility. “There's that flexibility to create whisky from any grain, and we want to create really distinctive Tasmanian whiskies. We don't want to make Scottish single malt style whiskies. We don't want to make American style whiskies. We want to make something that's distinctively Tasmanian, and we're getting some phenomenal results.”
這種基礎穀物的混合也直接促進了威士忌風格的多樣性和生產的靈活性。 “用任何穀物釀造威士忌都具有靈活性，我們想釀造真正獨特的塔斯馬尼亞威士忌。我們不想釀造蘇格蘭單一麥芽威士忌。我們不想釀造美式威士忌。我們想釀造具有塔斯馬尼亞特色的威士忌，而且我們已經取得了一些非凡的成果。”
However, in many ways, this diversity equates to a less clear definition of what the Tasmanian whisky and Australian whisky categories are.
然而，在許多方面，這種多樣性意味著塔斯馬尼亞威士忌和澳洲威士忌類別的定義不太明確。
Roxburgh says, “we're not constrained by all the regulations and rules that people are in Scotland or even in America, and it's fantastic to see all these experimental casks being used and different grains and different yeasts. I think, over the next 10, 20 years, that will broaden out but also become a little bit more specific at the same time where people will then find what actually really works in Tasmania. That's why I'm excited about the use of the different grains. It's going to be an exciting time over the next 5, 10, 20 years in Tasmania.”
羅克斯堡說：「我們不受蘇格蘭甚至美國各種規章制度的束縛，看到這些實驗性橡木桶、不同的穀物和酵母被使用，真是太棒了。我認為，在未來10年、20年裡，釀酒範圍會不斷擴大，同時也會變得更加具體，到那時人們就能找到真正適合塔斯馬尼亞的釀酒方法會不斷擴大，同時也會變得更加具體，到那時人們就能找到真正適合塔斯馬尼亞的釀酒方法。這就是為什麼我對不同穀物。
Greenbanks recently achieved five 'category bests' at the IWSC for: Rye Whisky, Corn New Make, Rye New Make, Mixed Grain (Wheat-Rye-Malt) New Make, and Wheat New Make.
Greenbanks 最近在 IWSC 上獲得了五個「類別最佳」頭銜：黑麥威士忌、玉米新品、黑麥新品、混合穀物（小麥-黑麥-麥芽）新品和小麥新品。
How should trade approach Australian and Tasmanian whisky?
貿易該如何對待澳洲和塔斯馬尼亞威士忌？
Australian whisky is no longer a curiosity — it’s a category. With a growing stable of brands, increasing export demand, and more consumers willing to spend locally, the opportunity for liquor retailers and on-premise venues is real.
澳洲威士忌已不再是新鮮玩意兒，而是一個品類。隨著品牌數量的不斷增長、出口需求的不斷增長，以及越來越多的消費者願意在本地消費，酒類零售商和店內場所的商機實實在在。
As Ash outlines on page 43 of Drinks Trade Winter, our first piece of advice to trade is to recognise the growing consumer appetite. As customers explore beyond Scotch and bourbon, they’re increasingly curious about local spirits. Australian whisky offers an exciting next step — and carries a sense of place that’s easy to communicate at shelf or over the bar.
正如 Ash 在 《Drinks Trade Winter》第 43 頁所概述的那樣，我們給業內人士的第一個建議是認識到消費者日益增長的需求。隨著顧客對蘇格蘭威士忌和波本威士忌以外的產品越來越感興趣，他們對本地烈酒也越來越感興趣。澳洲威士忌則提供了一個令人興奮的新方向——它承載著一種地理特色，無論是在貨架上還是在吧台上，都很容易傳達。
The second tip is to educate and engage. Many consumers are still discovering that Australian whisky exists — let alone that it can rival imports in quality. Use shelf talkers, tasting nights, or whisky flights to bring the category to life. Distilleries like Lark, Archie Rose, and Morris often have excellent trade resources available.
第二個技巧是宣傳和參與。許多消費者仍在探索澳洲威士忌的存在，更不用說它的品質可以與進口威士忌媲美了。利用貨架促銷、品嚐之夜或威士忌特價活動，讓這一類別煥發生機。像 Lark、Archie Rose 和 Morris 這樣的酒廠通常擁有豐富的產業資源。
Third: curate a mix of price points. Entry-level bottles like Starward Two-Fold or Hellyers Road Original provide affordable introductions, while higher-end releases from Sullivans Cove or Lark offer depth for collectors and connoisseurs.
第三：精心挑選不同價位的酒款。入門級的酒款，例如 Starward Two-Fold 或 Hellyers Road Original，價格實惠，是入門級的選擇；而高端的 Sullivans Cove 或 Lark 則為收藏家和鑑賞家提供了豐富的選擇。
And finally, embrace the uniqueness of the category. Whether it’s a muscat-finished Morris or a smoky Lark release, these aren’t copycats — they’re distinctly Australian. That sense of identity is a powerful sales driver.
最後，要擁抱產品類別的獨特性。無論是麝香葡萄酒釀造的莫里斯，還是煙燻風味的雲雀，它們都不是模仿者——而是道地的澳洲產品。這種認同感是強大的銷售驅動力。
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Interview: What is the future of small-batch Australian whisky?
訪談：小批量澳洲威士忌的未來如何？
Parliamentary inquiry recommends formation of Spirits Australia body
議會調查建議成立澳洲烈酒協會
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