Whisky Isn't Just About Barley

Mention whisky and most people immediately think of barley.

Fair enough. Barley has been the backbone of whisky-making for centuries.

But we're farmers, and we've always been curious about what other grains might bring to the glass.

Two crops we know rather well are wheat and oats.

They might look perfectly ordinary growing in a Southland paddock, but once you start making whisky from them, things get interesting.

Wheat. The quiet achiever.

Wheat doesn't tend to get the attention barley does in the whisky world.

Which is a bit unfair, really.

As farmers, we know there's a lot more to wheat than meets the eye. Different varieties, different growing conditions and different qualities in the grain itself.

When we turn wheat into spirit, we're interested in the character it brings.

Wheat whiskies are often associated with a softer, gentler character, allowing subtle sweetness and texture to come through.

It's another way of discovering what a familiar crop can become.

Oats. Not just for breakfast.

We've grown oats for years.

They're a crop we know well, but making whisky from them has given us an entirely new appreciation for what they can do.

Oats can bring a lovely creamy texture and softness to whisky.

Our Centenary Single-Grain Oat Whisky, made from our 2017 harvest, was our first opportunity to share that character in a matured whisky.

And it certainly won't be the last time we explore what oats can offer.

Same farm. Different grains.

Here's the part that fascinates us.

Wheat, oats and barley can all grow on the same farm, experience the same Southland seasons and be distilled using the same equipment.

Yet each brings something different to the finished spirit.

That's what makes working with individual grains so interesting.

Rather than blending them together, we want people to have the opportunity to discover their differences.

To taste wheat as wheat. Oats as oats. Barley as barley.

Because the grain isn't just an ingredient.

It's where the whole story begins.

And we've still got plenty more exploring to do.