Originally written by Vacation & Travel Magazine, below is an excerpt on Waubs Harbour Whisky. 

From remote vineyards to small distilleries, meet the new generation shaping Australia's drinks scene.

On Tasmania's wild east coast, the small fishing town of Bicheno is home to one of Australia's most atmospheric whisky projects.

A cult favourite, Waubs Harbour Whisky occupies a former oyster hatchery set on the edge of the Tasman Sea, where waves break against the rocks just beyond the distillery doors.

Founded by brothers Tim and Rob Polmear, alongside Tim's wife Bec, the operation remains deliberately small, producing maritime single malts shaped as much by sea air as by skill. Barrels mature within earshot of the ocean, salt carried through the old waterfront building, the scent of brine and timber lingering in the air. Much of the process happens on site. The distillery runs its own cooperage, where casks are shaved, toasted and re-charred by hand using traditional tools blackened by years of use. Working with a master cooper whose family history spans more than 50 years, Rob moves between barrels, adjusting toast and char to coax subtle shifts in flavour. A custom smokehouse burns peat cut from nearby coastal marshland, where river meets sea. Unlike inland Highland peat, this maritime fuel lends a faint saline smokiness that ties this bold whisky to its salty setting.