Whisky at scale: Morris Whisky shakes up Australian single malt

Drinks Adventures - Wine, beer, whisky, gin & more with James Atkinson

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders & more.
Whisky in Australia is highly fragmented, characterised by many small craft distilleries. Launched in 2021, Morris Whisky is one of few distilleries operating at a decent scale.
When winemaker John Casella acquired Morris of Rutherglen in 2016, his sole aim was to save an Australian icon from liquidation.
You may also like:The NBA’s wine obsession, with Baxter Holmes of ESPN: S10E1UK wine writer Matthew Jukes on non-alc wine & more: S12E1Brewing legend Chuck Hahn's 50-year global brewing odyssey: S11E2Iconic cocktails: Julio Bermejo, creator Tommy’s Margarita cocktail: S4E8
But then he saw the original hybrid copper still and the many barrels maturing Morris’s renowned fortified wines and saw an opportunity to make a uniquely Australian single malt whisky.
Casella Family Brands set up a dedicated company, Copper and Grain Distilling, and lured Scotch whisky experts John McDougall and Dr. Jim Swan, to advise the business. Darren Peck, formerly of Diageo, was appointed head distiller.
From the start, John was determined to compete with foreign imports, by creating the best possible whisky at an accessible price tag.
In June 2021, Copper and Grain released two debut whiskies under the Morris label that have been extremely well-received, being awarded gold medals pre-release at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
You’ll hear two interviews within in this episode. The first is with John Casella and Michael Sergeant, who is head of strategy and innovation at Copper & Grain. I spoke separately to head distiller Darren Peck.
More must-listen episodes:Two Paddocks wine with Sam Neill, pinot noir obsessive: S6E6Wine critic Jancis Robinson on the changing world of wine: S4E4Brewing historian Tara Nurin, and beer sensory expert Briony Liebich: S11E6Cocktails meet coffee with Mr Black Spirits: S8E5