Fannys Bay Distillery

About the distillery

Fannys Bay Distillery is located on Tasmania’s northeastern coast at Bass Strait and produces small-batch single malts that mature just a few meters from the sea. It is a family-owned distillery where Mathew and Julie Cooper have built a whisky with a distinctly coastal character, a traditional method, and a style shaped by wind, salty air, and patient cask aging.

History

Mathew and Julie Cooper brought whisky production to the northern part of Tasmania. Distillation began in 2014, and the first casks were laid into the warehouses in November of the same year. The story begins with a career change and a special place: Mathew, who previously was a diesel mechanic, took up the challenge after moving to the coast, and the couple established a small, hand-driven distillery on the windswept north coast. The name Fannys Bay links the distillery to the nearby bay, which is named after the ship Fanny, which ran aground in 1844. Since then, production has grown, and today, among other things, there are bourbon, port, sherry, chardonnay, shiraz, pinot, and peated casks in bond. The entire narrative is defined by the same principle: working small, locally, and without big automation, but with a great deal of personal effort.

Ingredients and production

Fannys Bay makes single malt whisky in small batches and runs a single still by hand. Production is closely tied to the location and its climate. The water is described as clean rainwater with a natural character of sea spray, and the temperature is adjusted according to the weather, so that distillation follows the changing conditions along the coast. There is no large, automated production; instead, the work is managed manually by Mathew Cooper. The casks are hand-charred, and the distillery works with both classic and wine-related casks, including ex-bourbon and French Oak. This creates a process where the raw ingredient, the weather, and the coastal environment are allowed to leave their mark, and where craftsmanship is just as important as the equipment. Julie Cooper then contributes the handwritten labels, completing the small family system around the whisky.

Maturation and cask types

Maturation takes place in a wide range of casks, including ex-bourbon, French Oak, port, sherry, chardonnay, shiraz, pinot, and peated barrels. Several of the whiskies mature very close to Bass Strait, and the distillery itself highlights salty air and sea spray as part of the environment around the casks. It is aging built on both time and location: quiet storage in bond, coastal climate, and hand-selected casks. Hand-charring the casks is also part of a deliberate approach, providing extra control over the portion of the aging contribution that the cask provides.

Whiskies

The range is small batch and focused on single malt whisky, often released in distinct casks and small bottle sizes. The specific releases listed include Shiraz and Port at high strengths, in both 500 ml and 100 ml bottles. This points to a range where each cask is treated as a separate release, rather than a large standard catalogue. In the broader production, bourbon, sherry, chardonnay, pinot, peated, and other wine casks are also mentioned, so the house works with a clear spread between classic cask influence and more Australian, wine-driven expressions.

The whiskies’ style and flavor profile

Fannys Bay is characterized by a profile that is rich, bold, and distinctly maritime. The coastal character comes from salty air and sea spray, while the casks pull the whisky toward dark fruit and vinous nuances from shiraz and port. At the same time, light smoked and peated character is mentioned in some expressions, so there is also a layer of smoke and peat in the house style. The overall impression is described as mature and balanced, with clear freshness from the north coast and a warmth that can be powerful without becoming overdone.

Visit the distillery

Fannys Bay Distillery can be visited, but only by appointment. Private tastings and cellar door tours are offered, and both tastings and tours are available only with prior booking. Opening hours are stated as by appointment only, and visitors are encouraged to call to ensure the venue is available. Guests can also shop online and use the cellar door facilities once the arrangement is in place. The contact person is Irene at 0431 512 006.

The stated opening hours are By appointment only.

Philosophy and craft

The distillery works based on traditional Scottish methods, but with a clear Tasmanian touch. Small batches, manual control of the still, hand-charring of casks, and a deliberate focus on time, climate, and coastal-near maturation are key choices. The Cooper family emphasizes that the whisky should not be mass-produced, but created through closeness to the place and respect for the craft. The result is a production where the personal and the local matter more than mechanical efficiency.