Oz wine region welcomes $2.5m whisky distillery

The McLaren Vale Distillery is preparing to open its AU$2.5 million facility this month, with an aim to launch its first single malt whisky in two years time.

The distillery is located in the famous Australian wine region – approximately 40km south of Adelaide – that is best known for its Shiraz.

The site was founded by John Rochfort and received a AU$500,000 regional development grant from the state government.

Rochfort, McLaren Vale Distillery founder and general manager, said: “We’ve selected some incredible South Australian barrels with amazing history like a 90-year-old Muscat cask that continually held Muscat for the entire period of time.

“It was the same block of Muscat every single season and we’ve got our hands on some incredible port barrels as well.”

Rochfort returned to South Australia after several years in Tasmania “honing his craft”, and also worked as CEO of Lark Distillery.