Touring Perth’s First Urban (whiskey) Ditillery

Whiskey for every occasion

Cold weather. A head cold. A celebration. Whatever the occasion, who really needs an excuse to have a whisky? Feel it’s too early for a stiff nightcap? Then have a cocktail. I’m especially partial to an Old Fashioned.

Whatever your choice, pick up your whisk(e)y from a local distillery. Tucked away behind the local TAFE and mere steps from Claisebrook train station, Whipper Snapper distillery is one of Australia’s only urban distilleries. In a rather desolate part of East Perth, in a mainly industrialised enclave, there is the strange distinction of being a micro brewery and a distillery within streets of each other. 

Hidden Gems of East Perth

Bright Tank Brewery and Whipper Snapper distillery have been neighbours since 2014. With the latter distilling a spirit that it can call whiskey once it has been in the barrel for 2 years, a legal requirement. Being such a new distillery, and without the luxury of time, Whipper Snapper had to produce something it could sell. To get a product out of the door, the un-aged spirit, in a clear form due to no contact with the oak barrels, was simply called “moonshine”. A nod to its American influence. 

I thought the distinctive spelling on the bottle was also a reference to the way it is often spelled in the USA. “Why the ‘e’ in your spelling of whiskey,” I asked.

“To differentiate ourselves. We even considered “whiskee”, but decided that was a bridge too far.”

I agreed.

History of whisk(e)y

You see, the water of life (uisce (Irish) / uisge (Scottish Gaelic) being the provenance of the name whisky) has a long and storied history. In some parts of Scotland, whisky, minus the ‘e’, has been distilled since 1494, with whisky production first taxed in 1644. There are only so many liberties you can take in the face of tradition.

We were here to see the nascent beginnings of a new tradition being created in East Perth. We joined a tour of the distillery to learn about the story behind this fascinating slice of local business and tourism. I also had a personal interest in tasting the whiskey produced, having long been a fan of a wee dram or two.

The Whipper Snapper Back Story

Whipper Snapper grew out of a conversation in a small beachside suburb on the west coast of Australia. It was in Scarborough, named after the seaside resort in Yorkshire, England, that Al met Vic, a world war 2 veteran with a love of whiskey. Vic had been distilling whiskey and moonshine from his garden shed and before too long was passing on his knowledge on to Al and his mate Jimmy.

With their newly acquired knowledge, and a large warehouse in East Perth secured as their new home, they now needed a distinctive name and brand. If two young men from Perth were going to take on the big boys in the world of whiskey, they were going to need a lot of grit and determination. These young upstarts called themselves “Whipper Snappers”, and were on their way.

And the whipper snappers determined from the beginning that this would be a proud West Australian (WA) operation. Making the commitment to only ever source grain and corn from the state of WA. It probably helps that WA is the second largest country subdivision in the world, with 2.5million square kilometres to play in.

Feeding The Angels

Despite the size of the state of WA, Whipper Snapper has to face very trying issues. Such as the 5% lost each year to evaporation, in the industry known as the “angels share”. In a climate such as the one in the sunny state of WA, the precious liquid can not be left in the barrels for the 10 years you typically see with Scotch whisky. There would be nothing left in the barrel, with the angels taking their annual allowance. 

Greedy angels, and the constraints around how much whiskey could be produced, means that there is no export to overseas markets. Which is a shame as Whipper Snapper has much to offer. Not just their deliciously smooth flagship, Upshot, but lots of prototypes such as the Toffee Apple Moonshine, delicious, which sold out in quick time, maybe due to the proximity of Father’s Day.

Yes, The Teetotal Tour

It is not just dads that would enjoy the tour of the Whipper Snapper distillery. Even if you are not a whiskey drinker, you can still accompany friends and family, as a “non drinker” option is offered. I recommend booking everyone in for the full tasting experience, as this could result in more whiskey for you.

I made the most of the tour, getting to sample the clear, distilled liquid, before it had even seen one of the oak barrels that are imported from the USA. A little harsh on the throat, and reminiscent of neat gin, it was good to see and taste how the liquid changes over the time it spends in the barrels.

By the time it becomes the flagship, Upshot, you have a very easy drinking whiskey, which is equally good neat, with a couple of splashes of water to bring out the flavour, or mixed in your favourite cocktail. I am told that it makes an excellent Old Fashioned. 

I can’t wait to get home with my new purchase and find out.