One of Australia's oldest whisky distilleries has taken out an accolade in this years Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2020.

Bakery Hill Peated Malt Cask Strength has been awarded Southern Hemisphere Whisky of the Year.  

Congratulations to David and Andrew Baker for their fantastic achievement!

Bakery Hill has long been one of our favourite Australian distilleries, producing delicious, consistent whisky. If you haven't given them a try yet - just search Bakery Hill on our site to see who stocks them online. 

Click here to buy the winning whisky from Bakery Hill

Bakery Hill Distillery

Status: Operational — Founded 1998 — Distilling commenced 1999.

Location: Bayswater, Victoria (45–50 mins due east of Melbourne CBD). But they are moving very soon to be much closer to Melbourne CBD.

Spirits Being Distilled: Whisky(!), Gin (may be discontinued in the near future).

Head Distiller/s: David Baker. 

Still particulars: 1000L Copper Pot Steam Coil heated (“Steve”).

Climate: Bayswater located in the Dandenong Foothills enjoys a relatively low humidity climate with relatively large daily temperature fluctuations and a generally higher than normal ambient temperatures year round.

Barley: A mix of local and imported malted barley — Australian Schooner barley and a peated barley sourced from the UK due to Victorian restrictions on peat burning.

Process: All milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling and ageing carried out onsite.

Casks: Consistency is the watchword for the Bakery Hill team so an overwhelming (and exciting for any ‘spirit’ driven whisky fans) preponderance of American Oak ex-Bourbon casks (and some use of French Oak for the Double Wood) at 100L, 200L and less commonly 50L.

Releases: Consistent (delicious) core range consists of:

Bakery Hill Classic Single Malt 46%

Bakery Hill Double Wood Single Malt 46%

Bakery Hill Peated Single Malt 46%

Bakery Hill Classic Cask Strength Single Malt 60%

Bakery Hill Peated Cask Strength Single Malt 60%

Current limited releases are the (extremely popular at TWL HQ) Bakery Hill “A Wisp of Smoke” 51.7% and Bakery Hill First Release Bottling.

The ‘Goss’:

Started by David Baker (previously in food science) during the late 90’s, Bakery Hill is one of the earliest distilleries in the modern era of Australian whisky. David makes no bones about the amount of process and equipment design, testing, development and refinement that was required in these early days to achieve his aim of proving the Scots wrong about an assertion that creation of good single malt whisky was only possible in Scotland.

One of the less sexy (in most circles, sadly) and rarer traits in Australian Whisky is consistency. But Bakery Hill have nailed this through a combination of trial and error, time, in depth understanding of what is going on at all stages of the Whisky making process, determination, quality control and sheer bloody mindedness — to amazing effect.

What this means in real terms to the whisky drinking public is that each release of the core range displays incredible consistency in flavour and character — no minor feat considering each release is in fact a single cask offering.

Having been fortunate enough to try the entire range several times over the last few years the consistency and spirit forward nature of Bakery Hill stands out as a testament to their work ethic and passion for the art and science of Whisky making.

It would be remiss of us not to mention the fantastic hospitality at the distillery we enjoyed (incognito as it were) and the tastings Andrew (David’s son) and David are hosting at the distillery and across venues in Victoria regularly, which rate among the most informative and eye opening we have had the pleasure of experiencing. Naturally hydrophobic when it comes to whisky normally, we were happily surprised by the layers and complexity which were unlocked with the tiniest application of water under the expert tutelage and proud eye of the makers.

Stay tuned to their website here as well as The Whisky List (of course) for news of their forthcoming releases and to purchase some of their whisky for your very own!

Jim Murray's Whisky Bible - The Winners

Here is the full list of winners in this years 2020 whisky bible. Congratulations to all.

Jim Murray’s 2020 World Whisky of the Year

1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Second Finest Whisky in the World

William Larue Weller 125.7 Proof – 2018 Release

Third Finest Whisky in the World

Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye 128.8 Proof – 2018 Release

Single Cask of the Year: Nantou Omar Cask Strength Bourbon Cask #11140804

SCOTCH WHISKY

• Scotch Whisky of the Year: Glen Grant Aged 18 Years Rare Edition
• Single Malt of the Year (Multiple Casks): Glen Grant Aged 18 Years Rare Edition
• Single Malt of the Year (Single Cask): The Macphail 1949 China Special Edition 1
• Scotch Blend of the Year: Ballantine’s 17 Years Old
• Scotch Grain of the Year: The Last Drop Dumbarton 1977
• Scotch Vatted Malt of the Year: Glen Castle Blended Malt 1990

SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

• No Age Statement: Glen Grant Rothes Chronicles Cask Haven
• 10 Years & Under (Multiple Casks): Glen Grant Aged 10 Years
• 10 Years & Under (Single Cask): Annandale Man O’ Sword
• 11-15 Years (Multiple Casks): Glen Grant Aged 15 Years Batch Strength
• 11-15 Years (Single Cask): Signatory Vintage Edradour Ballechin 12 Year Old
• 16-21 Years (Multiple Casks): Glen Grant Aged 18 Years Rare Edition
• 16-21 Years (Single Cask): Whisky Castle Glen Spey Aged 21 Years
• 22-27 Years (Multiple Casks): Glenmorangie Grand Vintage 1996
• 22-27 Years (Single Cask): The Whisky Shop Glendronach Aged 26 Years
• 28-34 Years (Multiple Casks): Ben Nevis 32 Years Old 1966
• 28-34 Years (Single Cask): Gordon & MacPhail Inverleven 1985
• 35-40 Years (Multiple Casks): Port Ellen 39 Years Old
• 35-40 Years (Single Cask): Glenfarclas The Family Casks 1978 W18
• 41 Years & Over (Multiple Casks): Glen Scotia 45 Year Old
• 41 Years & Over (Single Cask): The Macphail 1949 China Special Edition 1

BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY

• No Age Statement (Standard): Ballantine’s Finest
• No Age Statement (Premium): Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare
• 5-12 Years: Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Years Old
• 13-18 Years: Ballantine’s 17 Years Old
• 19 – 25 Years: Dewar’s Aged 25 Years The Signature
• 26 – 50 Years: The Last Drop 56 Year Old Blend

IRISH WHISKEY

• Irish Whiskey of the Year: Redbreast Aged 12 Years Cask Strength
• Irish Pot Still Whiskey of the Year: Redbreast Aged 12 Years Cask Strength
• Irish Single Malt of the Year: Bushmills Aged 21 Years
• Irish Blend of the Year: Jameson
• Irish Single Cask of the Year: Kinahan’s Special Release Project 11 Year Old

AMERICAN WHISKEY

• Bourbon of the Year: 1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Rye of the Year: Thomas H. Handy Sazerac 128.8 Proof
• US Micro Whisky of the Year: Garrison Brothers Balmorhea
• US Micro Whisky of the Year (Runner Up): 291 Barrel Proof Colorado Whiskey Aged 2 Years

BOURBON

• No Age Statement (Multiple Barrels): 1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• No Age Statement (Single Barrel): Colonel E H Taylor Single Barrel Bottled In Bond
• 9 Years and Under: Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
• 10-12 Years: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Aged 12 Years
• 11-15 Years: Pappy Van Winkle 15 Years Old
• 16-20 Years: Michter’s 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• 21 Years and Over: Pappy Van Winkle 23 Years Old

RYE

• No Age Statement: Thomas H. Handy Sazerac 128.8 Proof
• Up to 10 Years: Knob Creek Cask Strength
• 11-15 Years: Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 Years Old
• Over 15 Years: Sazerac 18 Years Old
• Single Cask: Knob Creek Single Barrel Select

CANADIAN WHISKY

• Canadian Whisky of the Year: Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye

JAPANESE WHISKY

• Japanese Whisky of the Year: Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt
• Single Malt of the Year (MB): The Matsui Mizunara Cask

EUROPEAN WHISKY

• European Whisky of the Year (Multiple): Thy Whisky No. 9 Bøg Single Malt (Denmark)
• European Whisky of the Year (Single): Penderyn Single Cask no. M75-32 (Wales)

WORLD WHISKY

• Asian Whisky of the Year: Nantou Distillery Omar Bourbon Cask #11140804 (Taiwan)
• Southern Hemisphere Whisky of the Year: Bakery Hill Peated Malt Cask Strength (Australia)

Photos Courtesy of May Lawrence Photography