Hellyers Road Distillery has been named the winner of the Agribusiness, Food, and Beverages award at the 2024 Tasmanian Export Awards, which took place earlier this month.
The awards recognise outstanding contributions to Tasmania’s export sector and those Tasmanian company that are successfully showcasing their top-quality products and services on the global stage.
While the Agribusiness, Food and Beverages award is a first for Hellyers Road, the distillery has been recognised previously, having previously won the Small Business of the Year award three times and Tasmanian Exporter of the Year twice, with the first win in 2017.
Hellyers Road CEO, Derek Charge, said: “Winning the Agribusiness, Food, and Beverage award is a testament to the hard work of our team over the past year and their daily efforts across all our markets, helping to grow our brand internationally.”
Export markets are continuing to grow in importance to Hellyers Road and other distilleries in Tasmania and mainland Australia. Hellyers Road currently exports to Europe, the United Kingdom, North America, Japan, Taiwan, China, Macau, and Singapore, with an increased demand for premium offerings most notably from European and Asian markets in recent years.
Amanda Beck, National Sales Manager at Hellyers Road Distillery, said: “We are privileged to have the capacity to export significant volume of our premium single malt whisky.
“Our consistent recognition at globally acclaimed whisky and spirits competitions allows us to export not only our core releases but also our highly sought after single cask, limited edition, and small-batch offerings. These exports elevate the global reputation of Tasmanian produce and set a benchmark for quality.”
Hellyers Road recently enjoyed renewed success in the US market through a partnership with Rare Hare Spirits and the creation of The Tempest, a 20-year-old single malt whisky aged for 17 years in American oak ex-bourbon barrels before being finished in port casks for an additional three years.
Charge added: “This sale was pivotal in reestablishing our presence in the US market. Rare Hare Spirits shares our commitment to high-end quality, aligning perfectly with our core values.
“This achievement underscores our global reach and dedication to excellence. It also opens new opportunities for a Tasmanian whisky brand in the US market, tapping into a vast consumer base.”
In addition to the partnership, Hellyers Road has also enjoyed success at international Whisky Live events in France and Poland.
Fiona Coutts, Head Distiller at Hellyers Road, who received the award on behalf of the team, said: “The reception we received for our whiskies at Whisky Live Paris and Whisky Live Warsaw has been phenomenal. Seeing people around the world enjoy our products is a huge morale boost for our team. These platforms allow us to showcase our whiskies, connect with our distributors, trade and consumers along with exploring new markets.”
With this win, Hellyers Road Distillery will now go on to represent Tasmania at the Australian Export Awards in Canberra this November.