The southern island boasts a climate where the air is as clean as the water, making a perfect setting for distilling spirits and maturing whiskies.

Visiting distilleries that were owned or spirits distilled by women was top on my agenda when I visited last month. One of these distilleries I visited was Drifters End distillery, founded just 8 months ago in Hobart, by Samantha, who is a fellow Our Whisky Foundation mentee, and her sister Chris. Samantha describes their relationship; “sisters, business partners, travel partners and best friends” who want to make spirit styles that they want to drink.

Drifters End, an interesting name for a distillery, telling the story of the sisters who were born in South Africa, travelled extensively, and lived in three countries (Taiwan, Ireland and the United States), finally finding a home in Tasmania. A fitting name for the end of their drifting.

With Chris’s extensive background in winemaking and Samantha’s equally impressive background in distilling, it is easy to see the passion that they share. That passion and know-how filters through to the spirits with their use of locally sourced neutral grape spirit, in the use of rainwater and the use of botanicals that are grown in their own garden beds or locally sourced. There are plans to grow and distil their own grape spirit as well. 

They have maturing in their warehouse barrels of new make for whisky to be released in a few years. Exciting times ahead for whisky lovers judging from the gins and absinthe that I tasted.

Hang on, absinthe in Tasmania? Why absinthe?

One of the fastest growing spirits globally, Samantha had a desire to create a ‘Le Fée Verte” aka the Green fairy after tasting absinthe at Absinth house on Bourbon street in New Orleans during Mardi Gras many years ago. ‘An ode to that mystical spirit’ says Samantha, creating their own interpretation of the mystical spirit.

For those unaware, absinthe is an aromatic spirit made from a neutral spirit to which Grand Wormwood, Fennel and Anise is added along with other botanicals. Taking its name from its defining ingredient, Artemisia absinthium (grand wormwood), which imparts a musty, floral and bitter taste. Wormwood has no liquorice flavour and that defining liquorice /aniseed flavour, is contributed by sweet Fennel and Anise which also causes the liquid to turn cloudy when it’s diluted due to their anethol compound. It’s defining green colour comes from Petite Wormwood, Hyssop or Melissa.

This cloudy phenomenon is known as “louching”, which any drinker of Drifter’s End absinthe will notice when they serve it over ice or with water. Anethol dissolves easily in ethanol but is not soluble in water, so as the spirit is diluted, the anethol comes out of the solution and forms an opaque suspension. 

Drifters End Absinthe has the three traditional botanicals mentioned of Grand Wormwood, Anise, sweet Fennel with the addition of Hyssop, Peppermint, Angelica, Coriander seed, Lemon balm, Roman Wormwood and a few other “secret “ botanicals.

These botanicals are macerated in a grape based neutral spirit for a certain period of time. A grape based neutral spirit is used because of its ability to hold on to the flavours as well contributing to a silky mouth-feel. The macerated spirit is then redistilled and undergoes a second maceration with botanicals that release more flavour as well as the defining green colour, prior to bottling.

It is bottled at 60%ABV. It is Olive green in appearance (oh that Green fairy).

It is interesting to note that Absinthe’s fame does not lie with its green colour, defining taste or high alcohol. Banned in the early 19th century due to drinkers suffering from seizures and hallucinations, it was discovered to be a substance called Thujone, a toxin found in wormwood. Currently the level of thujone is tightly controlled after the ban was lifted in 2007 in the United States

After having thrown off that much maligned cloak when the ban was lifted, Absinthe is currently enjoying a resurgence worldwide and cocktails like “Sazerac and Death in the afternoon” are gaining popularity.

When I tasted the Drifter’s End Absinthe, aromas of liquorice, aniseed, mint, ripe pear, white florals and a musty earthiness filled my senses. On adding a few drops of water, the earthy aromas gained strength.

After having thrown off that much maligned cloak when the ban was lifted, Absinthe is currently enjoying a resurgence worldwide and cocktails like “Sazerac and Death in the afternoon” are gaining popularity.

It’s time you met the ‘Green fairy’ from Drifters End.