Distilling can be traced back as far as 1822 when Thomas Haigh Midwood set up the first legal distillery. The industry flourished and within two years 16 distilleries were operating on the island, providing whisky for around 50,000 people (half of which were or had been convicts).

In 1838, Sir John Franklin, the State Governor outlawed whisky production in response to his wife Lady Jane’s plea: "I would prefer barley be fed to pigs than it be used to turn men into swine”.

Lady Jane’s statement forced the closure of the distilleries and brought the Tasmanian whisky industry to a halt, which lasted over 150 years.

Tasmania's first commercial whisky distillery in the north of the island since 1838, began production of Cradle Mountain Malt Whisky in 1989, initially using the name Darwin Distillery. Later, after acquiring a small government grant to promote the use of the locally produced Franklin Barley, the company changed it's name to the Franklin Distillery. With the addition of shareholders, the company again changed its name to The Small Concern Whisky Distillery and with some early success continued the production of Cradle Mountain Whisky.

In the early 1990's a small group of Tasmanian "whisky pioneers" began lobbying the government to overturn the rules in relation to the size of stills which were considered legal. They were successful, and the first licenses were granted 1992 to legally distill on the island after 153 years.

It wasn’t long before others followed. The number of whisky producers operating across Australia is growing, and Tasmania — with its abundance of natural resources — is now home to more than 50 producers.

Cradle Mountain Whisky is now the oldest surviving Australian Whisky Brand

A whisky becomes desirable when it combines exceptional craftsmanship, distinctive flavour, authenticity, and rarity. Key factors include the purity of ingredients, traditional distillation methods, quality of maturation casks, unique regional character, limited production, and trusted provenance.

Collectors and enthusiasts also value heritage, awards, and traceability.

At Cradle Mountain Whisky, each element is hand-crafted using pure mountain spring water, local barley, and slow copper-pot distillation. Our whisky matures in custom-coopered oak casks to capture the natural alpine character of Tasmania. With small-batch releases, individually inspected bottles, and authentic Tasmanian provenance, Cradle Mountain Whisky reflects the qualities that define a truly desirable and collectible single malt.

Cradle Mountain Whisky is a premium Tasmanian single malt crafted at the gateway to Cradle Mountain using pure mountain spring water and locally grown barley. Established in 1989 as one of Tasmania’s pioneering distilleries, we produce whisky in traditional small batches, with every element crafted by hand and distilled slowly in copper pot stills. Our whiskies mature in custom-coopered oak casks to capture the complexity and purity of the alpine region. Limited-release and collector bottlings, mountain-inspired flavour profiles, and genuine Tasmanian provenance make Cradle Mountain Whisky one of Australia’s most rare and sought-after whiskies, prized by enthusiasts and collectors.