Belgrove Distillery

Back in the mid-2000s, Tasmanian farmer Peter Bignell, whose property is near Kempton, 45 minutes north of Hobart, encountered a problem. A good problem. A field of rye normally used as a windbreak grew better than expected and turned into a bumper crop.

Having heard that other Tasmanians had started making whisky, and like generations of farmers before him in places like Ireland and Scotland, Bignell decided to turn that excess crop into whisky. But Bignell, also an agricultural scientist, inventor, biofuel expert and ice and sand sculptor, decided to do things a bit differently. He built his own pot still from recycled copper and then mashed, fermented and distilled his grain into one of the world’s few paddock-to-bottle, 100 per cent rye whiskies.

Bignell now produces a range of unorthodox spirits, from distilled ginger beer to a rye-based coffee liqueur. To power the still that makes these spirits, Bignell collects spent chip oil from local cafes and service stations and converts it into biodiesel. All of Bignell’s whisky is still produced on-site with recycled materials wherever possible, and Belgrove is now recognised as one of the world’s greenest distilleries.

To visit this incredible operation, tours can be arranged by appointment.