Distillery profile

Chief’s Son Distillery

Explore the distillery's history, craft, production, and the distinctive character of its whiskies.

Last updated
Show on map All distilleries

Chief's Son Distillery

About the distillery

Chief’s Son Distillery is located on the Mornington Peninsula in Somerville, and is a family-owned Australian single malt distillery with a clear, personal story. Here, handcrafted production, small batches, and a range that spans from classic malt expressions to more experimental casks like port, stout, and rum all come together. For whisky lovers, it’s especially interesting for how the house’s identity, family heritage, and cask experimentation are constantly woven into the whisky.

History

Chief’s Son Distillery was established in 2013 by Stuart and Naomi McIntosh. After three years of test-bed success, the first commercial batch of single malt whisky was distilled at the current address in Somerville. The name is rooted in the McIntosh family’s Scottish heritage: Mhic an Tòisich means “Son of the Chief,” and the family connects the name to an old honour title, which—according to the story—was granted for loyalty to the Chiefs of Alba. In the narrative, whisky’s role across generations plays a big part, and so does the Mornington Peninsula, where the climate, local producers, and an active craft community have helped shape the distillery’s development.

Ingredients and production

The distillery describes itself as family-owned, small-batch, and built on a fully manual system. The ingredient used in the whisky is malted barley, and the expressions show a house that works with both classic single malt and more distinctive approaches. 900 Pure Malt is a good example: here, peat is replaced with darker specialty malt, and distillation is done only with fresh whisky wash and without fores-and-feints. N7 Single Malt Vodka is triple distilled and made from malted barley, while the other whiskies in the range highlight how much casks and cuts matter in the house. In multiple releases, hand-picked casks and total manual production are also emphasized as part of the work on style and balance.

Maturation and cask types

Maturation varies widely, but French oak shows up as a central element. Both second-fill and ex-fortified French oak casks are used, while some whiskies build on port, apera, tawny, muscat, red wine, bourbon, and rum character. Peated Malt is matured for three years in French Oak Sherry second fill and then for one year in American Oak Bourbon first fill, and the 2025 edition of Distiller’s Select is double matured in French red wine casks and then imperial stout casks. Private casks are kept in the distillery throughout maturation, and the port-cask edition is re-coopered with slow toast and a heavy char, so the cask’s sweetness and structure become more pronounced.

Whiskies

The core range includes, among others, 900 Standard, 900 Pure Malt, 900 American Oak, 900 Sweet Peat, Forge, The Tanist, and Peated Malt, supplemented by annual Distiller’s Select releases, single casks, and private casks. The overall impression is a range that moves from accessible, malt-focused whiskies to more distinctive and rare expressions. The more experimental bottles show that the house isn’t afraid to work with both cane sugar, stout, wine casks, and ported or re-coopered casks, while the more consistent releases stick to French oak and a clean single malt style.

Whisky Type / series Alcohol Cask and style Tasting profile Status
900 Standard Single Malt Whisky 45 % French oak Core pillar in the range with French oak and both 200ml and 700ml formats. Current; Core range; Sold online
900 Pure Malt Single Malt Whisky 45 % French oak barrel A special distillate without peat, made only with fresh whisky wash and without fores-and-feints, matured on ex-fortified French oak casks.; Nose: Baked stone fruits, scorched sugar almonds and caramelised pears.; Taste: Concentrated malt, smooth alcohol, balanced sweetness with toffee.; Finish: Medium, creamy malt, slightly sherry and smooth oak. Current; Core range; Sold online
900 American Oak Single Malt Whisky 46 % American oak Single malt matured on American oak in the 700ml format. Current; Core range; Sold online
900 Standard Single Cask Single Malt Whisky 45 % Single cask Single cask release from cask #339, re-coopered after port maturation and awarded silver at the World Whisky Awards 2024.; Nose: Sweet peaches, citrus, maple and orange chocolate. Current; Discontinued
900 Standard Single Cask Single Malt Whisky 60 % French oak Strong single-cask release at 60% ABV and 700ml. Current; Sold online
900 Standard Port Cask Single Malt Whisky Port cask A port cask single cask, now listed as sold out. Discontinued; SOLD OUT
900 Sweet Peat Single Malt Whisky 45 % smoked/peaty A peated expression in both 200ml and 700ml, sold within the range. Current; Core range; Sold online
Forge Single Malt Whisky 43 % French oak second-fill cask Refined single malt built on the 900 Standard signature recipe and matured in 100L second-fill French oak.; Nose: Sweet malts, banana toffee, hay and dried tobacco.; Taste: Soft texture of sweet creamy malts, candied fruits, buttery chardonnay, soft oak and floral peat.; Finish: Medium weight of vanilla, bananas and lingering sweetness. Current; Core range; Sold online
The Tanist Single Malt Whisky 43 % French + American oak One of the house’s current whiskies in both 200ml and 700ml. Current; Core range; Sold online
Distiller’s Select 2023 Single Malt Whisky 46 % ex Pedro Ximénez cask Annual, limited release with ex Pedro Ximénez maturation and very limited distribution.; Nose: Dark malts, sweet candied praline, dark chocolate mandarin, caramelised smoky sherry and cigar box. Discontinued; SOLD OUT
Distiller’s Select 2024 Single Malt Whisky 46 % French oak Annual limited release with premium, sweet malts, high cuts and French oak/Muscat character.; Nose: Buttered toast, jasmine, tropical mango, banana, vanilla, almonds and toasted coconut.; Taste: Buttered toast, jasmine, tropical mango, banana, vanilla, almonds and toasted coconut.; Finish: Long, clean and fruity, with soft nectarines and citrus flowers. Current; Sold online
Distiller’s Select 2025 Single Malt Whisky 45.94 % French oak and Imperial stout cask Annual, limited release with double maturation through French oak ex red wine and imperial stout casks.; Nose: Creamy toffee, jersey caramel, brown sugar, passionfruit, guava, cocoa, coffee, Guinness, heather flowers and dried tea.; Taste: Sandalwood, fire roasted raisin toast, dark malt and mandarins, sweet liqueur and old timber.; Finish: Sticky and smooth, deep oak, long tobacco and caramelised stout. Current; Sold online
Black Forge Whisky coffee liqueur 40 % Whisky-based coffee liqueur created with whole coffee beans, vanilla pods and molasses.; Nose: Warm roasted coffee, organic Mexican beans, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, soft malt and oak.; Taste: Bold roasted coffee, dark vanilla, treacle sweetness, medium-dark roast, Chief’s Son single malt and soft dried fruit.; Finish: Long, dark and deeply satisfying with coffee, vanilla, whisky warmth and brown sugar. Current; Sold online

Whisky style and tasting profile

In terms of flavour, the range goes from baked stone fruits, caramelised pears and toffee to sweet malts, banana toffee and floral peat. The more matured and cask-character-driven releases bring dark chocolate, cigar box, tobacco, old timber, and caramelised stout into the picture, while Black Forge adds warm roasted coffee, vanilla, treacle sweetness, and brown sugar. Overall, the style points to a clear balance between the sweetness of the malt, the fruit from the casks, and the darker, drier notes.

Visit the distillery

The tasting room is open for guided whisky tastings and sales, and bookings for tastings are preferred but not necessary. Visitors can drop by Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm and Saturday from 11am to 4pm; Sunday is closed. The venue thus works both as a cellar door and a visitor room, where you can taste the house’s whiskies and buy bottles on site.

The stated opening hours are Mon-Fri: 10am to 4pm; Sat: 11am to 4pm; Sun: Closed.
See times and book a visit.

Philosophy and craft

The philosophy is clearly rooted in family, loyalty, and continuity between generations. Whisky is seen as something that connects people, families, and bloodlines, and the name Chief’s Son is actively used as a carrier of this heritage. At the same time, emphasis is placed on a manual system, small batches, the best artisan ingredients, and hand-picked casks, so the craft remains personal and tangible.

Awards and recognition

  • Gold medal (Gold, Forge)

  • Silver award (2024, Silver, 900 Standard Single Cask)

  • Award winner (Black Forge)