Lawrenny Homestead

A delicate union of American Oak and French Oak layered over our spirit’s bounty of tropical fruit notes. Homestead is a triple cask matured release where maturation has occurred across a combination of ex bourbon, port and sherry barrels combining to deliver a unique single malt whisky.

Homestead invites you in with a nose reminiscent of fresh rain and blooming florals. The palate is structured and nuanced as white peaches give way to banoffee and candied ginger. Smoked almonds drizzled in golden syrup complete the long, smooth finish.

Colour

Deep Gold

Nose

Petrichor, Fresh Honeysuckle, Peanut Brittle, Flowering Eucalypt, Vanilla Bean, Dried Pineapple, pawpaw, oiled leather

Palate

Banoffee pie, red apple, candied ginger, lemon peel, all spice, stewed peaches

Homestead release
distillers notes

Brewing and Fermentation

Tasmanian fields, whether here at the estate or around the island, this is where Homestead starts. We're proud to source malted barley from our own paddocks or from Tasmanian producers to give this whisky the truest sense of place from the beginning. All malted to a Pilsner spec this allows for maximum efficiency without sacrificing those lovely malty notes we find in the spirit down the line. We give the fermentation all the time it needs to develop the characteristics we desire from the 3 yeast strains we use. From the fruity and spice driven Saison yeast, the balance of an American ale yeast and the welcome spicey familiarity of a Scottish distilling yeast, Homestead's profile finds its roots here in the fermenter as it gently bubbles away.

Distillation

Taking place in our copper pot stills crafted here in Tasmania, distillation is where we really see Homestead start to come together. Although perfectly clear, the spirit that emerges from the spirit still over the 12 hours it runs is rich with notes of ripe stone fruit, honey and buttery malt. The crucial transitions of the heads, hearts and tails of the run are guided by science but confirmed by our distillers' sensory analysis. Once distillation is complete the heart is then blended with previous batches to ensure consistency of the spirit profile into the future.

Cask Selection & Entry Strength

The biggest influence on the whisky comes from the casks, it is as simple as that. That's why we have worked with local and international cooperages to secure the highest quality casks from the top producers around the world. Homestead's Triple Cask line up is a mix of 100L ex-bourbon, port/tawny and sherry/apera casks. Each of which was filled with spirit at 55% ABV, lower than industry standard ABV% of 63.5%. Why do this? Not only does it mean when bottled there is less dilution, meaning more flavour in your glass but the lower barrel entry strength allows more of the desired flavours to slowly integrate into the spirit allowing for more sweetness and a smoother profile.

Cask Management

While we do everything we can to minimise inconsistency, from batching the new make spirit together and barreling it on the same day to the same ratio the casks will be blended to, it still requires diligent oversight of each barrel to ensure Homestead's profile is met. From making sure the Bourbon casks provide their balance of tropical fruit notes and vanilla oakiness to keeping a watchful eye on the fortified casks as they become richer, sweeter and more spiced month after month as they draw towards their maturation date. Cask size, its history, where it is stored, the strength it was filled and so many more variables all must be considered when it comes to each barrel before it makes it to a batch of Homestead.

Dilution & bottling

Once matured the casks are blended together according to Homestead's profile. This is not as simple as following a recipe, but instead the guiding ratio has to be examined and adjusted as subtle differences in the bourbon, port and sherry casks emerge batch to batch. Water, sourced from right outside the distillery is added incrementally over a month to reach 41.5%ABV. Once this bottling strength is met we gently stir the whisky before it is allowed to rest and come together for a minimum of 4 weeks before bottling. From our country home in the highlands of Tasmania to yours where ever it may be, each bottle of Homestead is a reflection of Lawrenny and the pride we take in producing world class single malt whisky

Joe Dinsmoor
Head Distiller

TASMANIAN single malt whisky