Otter Craft Distilling
About the distillery
Otter Craft Distilling is a distillery in Lilyfield in Sydney’s inner west, where whiskey, gin, and vodka are made in small batches with Riverina barley, craftsmanship, and a clear focus on traceability. In particular, the whiskey program ranges from new French Oak to ex-bourbon, Shiraz, and Pedro Ximenez, and guests can taste the expressions at Bar 26 on site.
History
The vision for OCD
OCD’s ambition is to create a locally distilled premium spirits brand in Sydney that is relevant both locally and globally and can stand alongside the best and most closely related spirits names. The work has its starting point in responsible suppliers and long-term, sustainable relationships.
Provenance and local ingredients
All OCD’s spirits are made with barley that is grown and malted in Riverina in New South Wales. Barrels are sourced locally and globally, ethically procured, and the distillery also works with reused casks, including when casks from beer use are toasted for whiskey.
Handcrafted innovation
The distillery describes its production as handcrafted, in small batches, and built on a combination of traditional distillation processes and modern techniques. Work continues to refine and develop the expression, and all bottlings are bottled in bond.
The Mary St name and the original address
Mary St Gin is linked to the distillery’s original address on Mary Street in St Peters, Sydney, and was created by co-owner and distiller Eduard Otter.
Ingredients and production
Production is based on single malt barley from Riverina, which is both grown and malted in New South Wales. The whiskey is made with longer than normal fermentation times before being distilled using a blend of traditional and innovative methods. The vodka is triple distilled and passed through a custom-made filter, while the finished spirit is bottled and sealed with wax. The whole house works in small batches and with a distinctly handcrafted discipline, where traceability and the origin of the ingredients are highly valued. The same applies to the other spirits, but the whiskey program is especially clear in its focus on local barley, precise process control, and a distinct interplay between tradition and innovation.
Maturation and cask types
Cask aging ranges from new French oak casks to ex-bourbon, Shiraz, and Pedro Ximenez casks. A standout example is a lightly toasted New French Oak cask of 114 liters, where the whiskey has been aged for 37 months and is bottled undiluted directly from the cask. Another release has been aged for 50 months in a Pedro Ximenez cask and bottled as a single barrel. Overall, the cask program shows that the distillery uses both classic bourbon references and more aromatic wine and sherry casks to give the range variation and character.
Whiskeys
Today, the whiskey range includes three current expressions in the collection: an undiluted single malt bottling on new French Oak, a single malt from a Pedro Ximenez cask, and two whiskeys from, respectively, Shiraz and ex-bourbon casks. In addition, there is a longer series of historical limited editions, showing that the distillery works with a series-oriented approach using numbered barrels and different cask types. The overall impression is clearly Australian in its ingredients, but also experimental in its cask work. Small batches, a single malt base, and barrel-led variation give the range a profile that appeals both to collectors and curious tasters. Outside the whiskey, gin and vodka sit close to the same idea of craftsmanship and local identity.
| Whisky | Type / series | Alcohol | Age | Cask and style | Flavor profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New French Oak Whiskey Barrel 18. Uncut 64.7% ABV | Single malt whiskey | 64.7 % | New French Oak barrel | Uncut, non-filtered single malt whiskey from barrel to bottle.; Aftertaste: Smooth & long length | Current; Core range; Sold out | |
| Whiskey Limited Edition Barrel 30 | Single malt whiskey | 52 % | 50 months | Pedro Ximenez cask | Single malt, single barrel whiskey bottled at 52% ABV in just over 100 limited edition bottles.; Nose: Nutti-ness with raisins, dates and delicious fruits.; Taste: Sweet fruit driven profile from Pedro Ximenez cask. | Current; Sold out; 100 bottles |
| Barrel 33 Whiskey x Shiraz Barrel 48% | Whiskey | 48 % | Shiraz barrel | Current; Core range; Available on collection page | ||
| Barrel 20 Whiskey x Ex Bourbon Barrel 52% ABV | Whiskey | 52 % | Ex bourbon barrel | Current; Core range; Available on collection page | ||
| OCD Whiskey Limited Edition Barrel 1 | Whiskey | Discontinued; Sold out | ||||
| OCD Whiskey Limited Edition Barrel 03 | Whiskey | Discontinued; Sold out | ||||
| OCD Whiskey New French Oak Limited Edition Barrel 2 | Whiskey | Discontinued; Sold out | ||||
| OCD Whiskey Limited Edition: Barrel 08 New French Oak | Whiskey; Limited Edition Barrel | Discontinued; Sold out | ||||
| OCD Whiskey Limited Edition Barrel 05 | Whiskey | Discontinued; Sold out | ||||
| OCD Whiskey Limited Edition Barrel 04 | Whiskey | Discontinued; Sold out |
The whiskeys’ style and flavor profile
The whiskeys paint a picture of sweet dried fruit, nutty malt, and a clearly defined cask structure. In the Pedro Ximenez release, raisins, dates, and ripe fruits show up again, while the undiluted new French Oak whiskey is described with a smooth, long finish. Gold Leaf Vodka and Pure Vodka add notes of butterscotch, star anise, bush honey, and grainy sweetness to the overall style picture, and the Shiraz cask contributes a more vinous fruitiness. Taken together, the expression points to fruit, spice, and oak as the guiding directions.
Visit the distillery
The distillery can be visited in Lilyfield, about 10 minutes from Sydney CBD. On site, there is Bar 26, where guests can get a gin cocktail, a whiskey tasting, or a vodka martini. The visit works both as a bar and a tasting experience, and there is also the option to buy the spirits online. This makes the place an obvious stop for anyone who wants to taste the whiskey and the other spirits close to production.
Philosophy and craftsmanship
OCD works with traceable ingredients, responsible supply chains, and long-term relationships. The distillery also emphasizes that the products are made in small batches with handcrafted control, and that tradition and innovation should be able to exist side by side. Reusing casks and other circular choices are a clear part of the way of thinking, just as the bottled in bond concept is used consistently. It’s a philosophy where the origin of the ingredients, the craftsmanship, and reuse are closely connected.
Sustainability
Premium ingredients from suppliers that can show provenance.
Long term sustainable relationships.
Ethically sourced barrels.
Recycling and reusing barrels where possible.
Sustainable and traceable ingredients.
Latest news
Mary St Coffee Gin Liqueur developed over two years – 2022-08-11
Mary St Coffee Gin Liqueur was developed over two years in collaboration with Morgans Coffee, where sustainably sourced coffee beans are roasted and blended with gin.
Mary St Gin is created by Eduard Otter – 2022-01-07
Mary St Gin is described as created by co-owner and distiller Eduard Otter and as an expression of the brand’s core, with carefully selected botanicals and thorough development.
Botanical Vodkas are developed through experiments – 2020-01-13
A botanical vodka project grows out of Julie and Eduard’s shared interest in citrus and summer berries, along with several months of experimenting to find the right blend.