Private Tassie Distillery Tour – Tastings, Lunch and Morning Tea

Tasmania’s distilling scene is best understood at the still, not just at a bar. This private Hobart tour takes you inside three very different producers, including Hobart Whisky, which is not normally open to the public, and lets you taste spirit at several stages of its life.

I like the personal access and the range of drinks included. You will taste gin, whisky, vodka, rum and liqueurs, then make your own whisky blend. I also like the food: local cheeses, biscuits, chocolates and a catered lunch keep this from becoming six hours of drinking on an empty stomach.

The main drawback is the price, $860.69 per person, which is a serious spend for a six-hour outing. You are paying for a private vehicle and guide, special access, several tastings, food and a hands-on whisky session, but this is aimed at committed spirits fans rather than casual sightseers.

Key points at a glance

• Three Tasmanian distilleries: Visit Spring Bay Distillery, Hobart Whisky and Killara Distillery in one private day.
• A rare look inside Hobart Whisky: Meet the distillers at a repurposed old egg factory that is not open to the general public.
• Taste spirit before it becomes whisky: Sample new make spirit fresh from the still and learn how ageing changes it.
• Blend your own whisky: Create a personal blend rather than simply sampling finished bottles.
• Food is part of the day: Brunch includes local cheese, biscuits and chocolates, followed by a catered lunch.
• Private and flexible in feel: Your group travels together, with pickup offered and a 10:00 am start.

Three distilleries, three different views of Tasmanian spirits

This tour works because it does not treat every distillery as the same. Spring Bay gives you an owner-led introduction, Hobart Whisky offers unusual behind-the-scenes access, and Killara brings a newer producer and a strong local distilling connection into the picture.

That variety matters. A standard tasting room can tell you what is in a glass. This day also shows you the people, equipment and choices behind it. You can ask why one spirit is made as gin, another as whisky, and another as vodka or liqueur.

The private format helps here. You are not being carried through a large public group with a fixed script. The guide has personal connections across Tasmania’s distilling industry and works with the owners and distillers at each stop. That should make it easier to ask plain questions, including the supposedly foolish ones that often produce the best answers.

The schedule runs for about six hours and begins at 10:00 am. Pickup is offered, but you should confirm the exact pickup arrangements when booking, since the supplied details do not name a specific hotel or meeting location.

Spring Bay Distillery starts the day in Cambridge

Your first stop is Spring Bay Distillery in Cambridge, a short distance from Hobart. The visit lasts about an hour and admission is included.

Owners Susanne and Cam introduce their operation and explain how their spirits are made. That owner-led welcome is useful because you hear the story from the people who actually run the place, rather than only hearing a polished sales pitch from a tasting-room attendant.

The tastings cover alcoholic drinks produced at the participating venues. Depending on the distillery and its current stock, that can include gin, whisky, vodka, rum and liqueurs. The tour description also promises new make spirit, which is whisky before barrel ageing gives it the colour and character most people expect.

This is a good point to pay attention to texture and aroma. New make spirit is a short-lived stage, and it gives you a clearer sense of the raw distillate before wood and time alter it. It may not be the smoothest drink of the day, but it is one of the more useful tastings for understanding whisky production.

Spring Bay also provides the morning food. Expect brunch-style cheese, biscuits and chocolates, with award-winning local cheeses highlighted as part of the welcome. That is more than a decorative snack. Salty cheese and plain biscuits give you something to eat before the stronger tastings begin.

The possible weakness is time. One hour is enough for an introduction and tastings, but not for a slow technical tour of every part of production. If you want a long equipment-focused visit, the two-hour Hobart Whisky stop is likely to satisfy you more.

Hobart Whisky offers the rarest access

The middle stop is Hobart Whisky, and this is likely to be the day’s major draw. The distillery is not open to the public, so this private visit gives you access that ordinary sightseeing does not provide.

You meet members of the distilling team, including John, Ben or Trevor, and hear how the old egg factory was repurposed for whisky production. The setting matters. A working distillery in a reused industrial building gives you a better sense of the practical side of the business than a purpose-built retail room would.

Allow about two hours here. That is the longest visit of the day, which gives the distillers more room to explain their work and answer questions. You can expect a closer look at how whisky moves from new make spirit toward a finished product, along with tastings that may include spirit from different stages.

The most interesting part for many people will be the contrast between fresh spirit and aged whisky. The day is not simply about identifying flavours in a glass. It shows why the same distillate can change with time, wood and handling.

Hobart Whisky is also where a private tour earns its keep. A public tasting usually has to suit everyone in the room. Here, your group can focus on what interests you, from the technical process to the business of converting an old building into a working distillery.

Do not expect a grand public attraction with a large visitor centre. The appeal is the opposite: access to a place that normally does not receive casual visitors. That means the setting may feel practical and workmanlike rather than polished. For spirits fans, that is a benefit. For anyone hoping for a formal museum-style presentation, it may feel less structured.

Killara Distillery brings a newer voice

The final distillery is Killara, one of the newer names on Tasmania’s distilling scene. The visit lasts about an hour.

Owner Kristy Lark has local distilling heritage, and you meet her or members of her team. That connection gives this stop a useful sense of continuity. You are not only looking at a new company, but also hearing from someone whose family background is tied to local distilling.

You are greeted with a lavender gin or another spirit, depending on what is being served. Lavender gin offers a different profile from whisky and makes this stop a good counterpoint to the heavier, oak-led drinks earlier in the day.

The visit lets you compare production styles and personalities. Spring Bay is introduced by its owners, Hobart Whisky gives you private access to its distillers, and Killara shows how a newer producer is building its own place in Tasmania’s spirits industry.

Again, one hour keeps the pace moving but limits the depth. You will get a useful introduction and tastings, yet the schedule is not designed for a long technical workshop at every stop. The benefit is range: you see three producers rather than spending the whole day at one site.

Making your own whisky gives the day a purpose

Many tasting tours finish when the glass is empty. This one adds a blending session, allowing you to create your own whisky blend and give it a personal character.

That hands-on step is valuable because it turns tasting into comparison. You are not simply told that different spirits have different profiles. You get to decide how they work together, then consider why one mixture seems rounder, stronger or more balanced than another.

The activity is described as creating your own whisky and crafting a personal spirit story. The exact bottles or quantities used are not specified, so do not book this expecting a formal take-home bottle unless that is confirmed separately.

Bottle purchases are not included. You can buy bottles from the distilleries, but those are an extra cost. This is worth remembering when judging the price, especially if you are likely to want a bottle from Hobart Whisky or Killara after tasting it.

Lunch makes the six-hour schedule easier

Food is included at several points. Morning food includes cheese, biscuits and chocolates, while lunch is catered and served as individual portions. The description places lunch in a rustic distillery loft, giving you a break between tastings and a chance to sit down properly.

I like this arrangement for a practical reason. A six-hour spirits tour needs food, and small tasting snacks are not a substitute for lunch. Individual serves also make the meal feel organized without turning it into a formal restaurant stop.

The supplied details do not specify the menu, dietary options or whether every item can be changed. If you have allergies or special dietary needs, ask before the tour. Do not assume the cheese, chocolate or lunch can be adapted on the day.

Lunch also keeps the tour from feeling like a race between distilleries. You have time to talk with your group, compare favourite tastings and let the morning settle before the final stop.

Is $860.69 per person good value?

At $860.69 per person, this is expensive. The price makes most sense when several people share a private group and care about access that is hard to arrange independently.

You are paying for roughly six hours, a private activity, a guide, pickup offered from Hobart, entry to three distilleries, alcoholic tastings, morning food, lunch and the whisky-blending activity. The Hobart Whisky visit is especially important to the calculation because it is not normally open to the public.

The value is weaker if you mainly want a few drinks and a scenic drive. You could spend less on a standard tasting or visit a single distillery. This tour is designed for the person who wants context, access and a day built around craft spirits.

Group discounts are available, which may improve the price for a larger private party. Since the tour is private, you are not sharing the experience with strangers. That can matter if your group has different interests, as your guide can spend more time on whisky, gin or production questions instead of following a one-size-fits-all script.

The cost does not include bottle purchases. Set aside extra money if you want to take home a favourite. Also remember that the tour includes many tastings, so the value is in the complete day rather than any single pour.

Who will enjoy this Hobart distillery day?

I would recommend it most strongly to whisky drinkers, gin fans and curious food-and-drink visitors who want to meet producers. It is also a good choice for a private celebration or a small group of friends who prefer a shared experience to a standard bus tour.

You do not need to be an expert. The guide’s role is to explain the industry and help you make sense of what you taste. The private setting should make it easier to ask basic questions about barrels, new make spirit, blending and the difference between categories.

The day may be less suitable if you do not drink alcohol, want a low-cost outing or prefer outdoor scenery to production visits. The focus is firmly on distilleries, drinks, food and conversation.

Most travelers can participate, and service animals are allowed. The tour is near public transportation, though pickup is offered. Because tastings are central to the day, plan your transport sensibly and do not assume you should drive yourself afterward.

Booking, timing and cancellation details

Confirmation is provided when you book. The stated start time is 10:00 am, and the total duration is about six hours.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours ahead are not refunded, and changes inside that window are not accepted.

The experience is operated by Bruny Island Safaris. The operator’s name reflects its wider touring work, but this particular experience is based around Hobart and Tasmanian distilleries, including the three stops described above.

Should you book this private Tasmanian distillery tour?

Book it if you want access, conversation and range. The private visit to Hobart Whisky, owner contact at Spring Bay and the personal whisky-blending session give the day more substance than a simple bar crawl. The included cheese, chocolates and lunch are practical bonuses, and the broad tasting list lets you compare several parts of Tasmania’s spirits trade.

Think twice if $860.69 per person feels hard to justify or if you only want a short tasting. The day’s value depends on your interest in the producers and the behind-the-scenes access, not just the number of drinks.

For a spirits enthusiast visiting Hobart, this is a focused way to meet the people behind the bottles and taste the process from new make spirit to finished whisky. For everyone else, choose it only if the craft and personal access matter as much as the drinks.

FAQ

Where does the tour take place?

The tour departs from Hobart and visits Spring Bay Distillery in Cambridge, Hobart Whisky and Killara Distillery.

What time does the tour start?

The stated start time is 10:00 am.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately six hours.

Is hotel pickup available?

Pickup is offered. The supplied details do not specify the exact pickup locations, so confirm the arrangement when booking.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates in the private tour or activity.

Which distilleries are included?

The stops are Spring Bay Distillery, Hobart Whisky and Killara Distillery.

What drinks are included?

Alcoholic beverages include gin, whisky, vodka, rum and liqueurs at the venues. New make spirit is also part of the described tasting experience.

Is food included?

Yes. Brunch includes cheese, biscuits and chocolates, and lunch is catered with individual serves.

Can I buy bottles at the distilleries?

Yes, but bottle purchases are not included in the tour price.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.