Bakery Hill Distillery celebrates 25 years of crafting premium Aussie whisky 

Bakery Hill Distillery is gearing up for an exciting year ahead, with its new Kensington “cellar door” now open for locals to enjoy a dram, tasting, or tour.

This year, Bakery Hill celebrates 25 years as Australia’s oldest mainland whisky distillery. 

Founded by David Baker, a former chemistry teacher with a bold vision, the distillery was built on the belief that exceptional whisky could be crafted right here, outside of Scotland.

Today, the distillery is run by David, along with his two sons, Andrew and Matt, who continue to craft premium single malt whisky in the heart of Kensington.

“Dad really wanted it to be proudly Australian, so he tried think about Australian and Victorian history, and kept coming back to gold mining and the gold rush,” Andrew told North West City News.

“He sort of felt an affinity to the gold miners because people kept telling him he was an idiot to start a whisky distillery and he was throwing his money away, he felt it was a little like mining for gold.”

“Then he came across the Eureka Stockade in Ballarat, where most of the action was taking place in Bakery Hill – our surname’s Baker, which was a nice coincidence that sealed the deal.”

Staying true to the classic style of Scottish highland whiskies, Bakery Hill Distillery uses only three simple ingredients: malted barley, yeast, and water. The malts are then aged for six to eight years in American oak ex-bourbon barrels.

“Dad really wanted to make a whisky which could compete with the top whiskies of Scotland, and that would ring true with traditional whisky lovers,” Andrew said. 

Originally located in Bayswater and operating solely as a distillery, the move to Kensington a year ago gave the family-owned business an opportunity to connect more directly with the local community and fans of their whisky.

The “Sly Grog Shop” is now open during the week, offering takeaway options, while the distillery floor is open on weekends for tasting flights and a dram or three. 

Visitors can also take part in guided tours, learning about the distillation process and how Bakery Hill crafts its single malts. 

With a focus on connecting with the community and putting Kensington on the map as a hub for high-quality, locally made products, Bakery Hill works closely with neighbouring brewery Bonehead and spirit distillery Nubilum. It most recently partnered with Bonehead to create a bitter ale that can be enjoyed onsite. 

“We’ve also just launched our first blended whiskey, I call it my breakfast whiskey,” Andrew said.

“It’s not as strong and a bit cheaper, so it’s a good opportunity for people to come try something cost effective before diving into some of the more expensive ones.”

As the festive season approaches, Bakery Hill is offering a range of seasonal products, including Christmas whisky packs, the distillery’s much-loved gin (its first product before whisky), and even whisky puddings with peated whisky sauce. •