Nautical but nice; special drinks for a special occasion

Two new releases from the boutique Port Cygnet Distillery in Tasmania are collector's items, fine drinks and works of art.

Port Cygnet distiller Harry Moses will this weekend unveil his first single malt whisky release (I've tried it and its is terrific) and a navy-strength gin.

There are 36 ceramic bottles of each crafted by local artisan potter Ian Clare at his studio just down the road - and the bottle design commemorates a circumnavigation of Tasmania aboard the sailing ship Kerrawyn.

One bottle of whisky - available for sampling - will be onboard Kerrawyn this Saturday at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart.

Bottles are for sale online from Friday evening and will ship mid-March.

The gin is made from 14 botanicals and is billed as "one of a kind".

The first two months of the gin’s two-year maturation were spent onboard the locally built 74-year-old sailing ketch Kerrawyn when she circumnavigated Tasmania early 2021.

This is not one for wimps: it has an ABV of 57%.

The bottle boxes have been handmade by the owners of Kerrawyn, and are made of Tasmanian native timber: celery top pine with inlaid ceramic medallions by Ian Clare.

"Each bottle is a unique and collectible piece that will be treasured for years to come," says Moses. "This gin is an experience, a journey, a piece of history that will be cherished by all fortunate enough to try it."

The distillery is one of Australia's smallest, using a 30-litre copper pot still, producing approximately 50 bottles per batch. See https://www.cygnetdistillery.com.au/