The Killara Distillery Story

Kristy has been involved in the distilling industry for over 23 years and grew up with a still outside her bedroom door. She is passionate about the distilling industry and is continuing on the family tradition while growing the legacy and continuing on her own path.

She started in the cellar door of her parent’s business, when she was 17. She worked her way up through the business to become Head Distiller, which was a role she thoroughly enjoyed and then the General Manager. She learnt the art of whisky production from her father, Bill, and finesse of gin and liqueur production from her mother, Lyn. While Head Distiller, Kristy produced award winning whisky as well as managing all the production of their other spirits. In 2013 the family business was sold to a group of investors, this, however, gave Kristy the opportunity to open her own distillery.

Killara was started in 2016 and is the first Australian distillery to be fully owned and operated by a second-generation Australian distiller. Kristy’s passion is to create hand crafted Tasmanian spirits including Single Malt Whisky, Apothecary Gin, Tasmanian Vodka and seasonal liqueurs. Located on 26 acres in the heart of the Coal Valley near Richmond, Killara offers a complete Garden to Glass experience.

The passion her father has for the industry definitely rubbed off on Kristy as she is a huge advocate for not only the industry but specifically the women in the industry which is why she started the Australian Women in Distilling Association. AWDA is all about promoting and encouraging women in the distilling industry. Kristy is also on the Australian Distillers Association (ADA) committee and the past vice president of the Tasmanian Whisky & Spirits Association TWSA committee.