About an hour and a half’s drive from Sydney into the glorious Southern Highlands but hidden away from the usual tourist tracks is a most extraordinary relic of Australia’s industrial history into which has been inserted a delightful malt whisky distillery of craft proportions. Whether you are a history buff or a whisky lover, this is a must go to destination, and if you are both, it is a day in heaven.

It is against this fascinating historical background that Valero Jimenez and his wife Elisa, both of whom migrated from Spain as children with their respective parents, and subsequently became owners of the now deserted but well-preserved town of Joadja, have developed a pristine small-scale Highland malt distillery. And the product, if my sampling of their First Release is anything to go by, is a characterful tribute to Joadja’s Scottish heritage.

You can read more under Whisky Places as part of Whisky Resources.