5 Best Australian Whisky Blogs
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Readtime: 7 min
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Australian whisky has gone from cottage industry to global force in barely two decades, and the country’s whisky writers have moved with it. The publications below cover everything from Tasmanian single malts to global cask programmes, with editorial voices that range from collector deep-dives to industry-led commentary. We’ve ranked Australia-focused whisky publishers first, with one international title in the worthy mentions for breadth, and the Man of Many whisky desk listed at the end as a transparency entry.
How we ranked these: editorial authority, industry recognition (Icons of Whisky and similar awards), publishing consistency, depth of Australian whisky coverage, and the breadth of the writer’s network within the local distilling community.
Why Talk Whisky?
The Australian whisky industry is no longer a fledgling category. Tasmanian distilleries have been winning the world’s most competitive awards for over a decade, mainland producers have built serious export programmes, and Australian whisky now sits alongside Scotch, Japanese and American expressions on serious bar back-bars from Singapore to London.
Sam Slaney, whisky expert and production director at Starward whisky, told Man of Many that interest in the spirit is being driven by access. “The Australian whisky industry is where craft beer was 10 years ago, on the cusp of a big wave, and it is exciting to see just how prominent whisky is becoming. I love seeing it on restaurant menus, in our bars and in bottle shops, not just here in Australia but across the globe.”
“We are not only seeing a younger audience entering the category but also a significant growth of female interest in whisky. This emerging broader demographic is interested in discovering what whisky can be and are pleasantly surprised at how delicious it is in mixed drinks and with food pairings.”
The publications below have done as much as anyone to translate that growth into intelligent coverage for Australian readers.
1. Whisky and Wisdom
Whisky and Wisdom is run by Andrew Derbidge, Director of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of Australia and Keeper of the Quaich. The site combines tasting notes, distillery profiles, industry analysis and event coverage from one of the most credentialed voices in Australian whisky media. It won the Icons of Whisky Australia “Best Communicator” award in 2020 and the Rest of World category in 2024, and remains the most authoritative single voice in the country.
Founded: by Andrew Derbidge
Based: Sydney
Covers: tasting notes, distillery profiles, awards, industry analysis
Standout for: editorial credentials, Icons of Whisky recognition, SMWS connection
Owned by: Andrew Derbidge (independent)
2. Time For Whisky
Run by Martin Eber out of Hong Kong and Australia, Time For Whisky has been publishing tasting notes, distillery visits and event coverage since 2012. The blog has logged more than 700 numbered tastings and runs serious coverage of both Australian and Asian whisky markets. Strong on craft and rare expressions, and a useful international perspective on the Australian scene.
Founded: 2012 by Martin Eber
Based: Hong Kong and Australia
Covers: tasting notes, distillery visits, events, rare expressions
Standout for: consistent tasting catalogue, Asia-Pacific perspective, longevity
Owned by: Time For Whisky (independent)
3. Whisky Waffle
Founded in Tasmania in 2014 by Nick Turner and Alex “Ted” Matthews, Whisky Waffle is the go-to read for anyone trying to keep up with Tasmanian whisky. The blog runs reviews, news, podcasts and the Whisky Waffle Awards each year. If you want a ground-level view of the world’s most exciting whisky region, this is where to start.
Founded: 2014 by Nick Turner and Alex Matthews
Based: Tasmania
Covers: Tasmanian whisky reviews, news, podcasts, awards
Standout for: Tasmanian focus, podcast, annual Whisky Waffle Awards
Owned by: Whisky Waffle (independent)
4. Malt Mileage
Malt Mileage is a long-running Australian whisky blog focused on serious tasting notes, vintage Scotch, Japanese whisky and rare bottlings. The reviews are technical and unhurried, often running through cask histories and distillery context most outlets gloss over.
Based: Australia
Covers: tasting notes, vintage Scotch, Japanese whisky, rare bottlings
Standout for: technical tasting notes, vintage and rare-cask coverage
Owned by: Malt Mileage (independent)
5. The Tasmanian Whisky and Spirits Trail
The Tasmanian Whisky and Spirits Trail sits closer to a digital industry guide than a traditional blog, but its distillery profiles, news coverage and event listings make it indispensable if you’re tracking the Tasmanian distilling scene. The site doubles as a planning resource for distillery tourism across the state.
Based: Tasmania
Covers: Tasmanian distilleries, distillery tourism, news, events
Standout for: distillery directory, regional travel-and-spirits crossover
Owned by: Tasmanian Whisky and Spirits Trail (industry body)
The Tasmanian Whisky and Spirits Trail
Other Worthy Mentions
One international whisky publisher worth following alongside the Australian titles above.
- Master of Malt – UK-based whisky retailer with a serious editorial blog covering new releases, distillery profiles, cocktail recipes and industry news. Not Australian, but the closest thing to a daily trade paper for the global whisky industry, and a strong reference point for any local enthusiast.
Closed or Dormant
The Whisky Ledger. The Sydney-based whisky reviews, news and photography blog appears to have stopped publishing new content around late 2019. The archive remains online and is still useful for reference on Australian and international whisky reviews from its active period (2014-2019), but the site is no longer being updated.
Bonus: Man of Many – Whisky
Full disclosure: we publish this list, so we’ve put ourselves at the end rather than ranking ourselves against the dedicated whisky publishers above. Man of Many’s whisky desk covers new releases, distillery profiles, cocktail recipes and bottle reviews from an Australian perspective, sitting alongside the broader Man of Many lifestyle, tech, fashion and cars coverage.
Founded: 2012 (Man of Many)
Based: Sydney
Covers: new releases, distillery features, cocktail recipes, bottle reviews
Standout for: integrated lifestyle context, accessible reviews, large general-readership reach
Owned by: Man of Many Pty Ltd (independent)
Alternatives to the Best Whisky Blogs
If you’d rather skip the blog format and go straight to specific guides, the following Man of Many resources cover the practical whisky questions in depth.
Whisky Guides
Our comprehensive whisky brands guide and best Australian whiskies roundup are good starting points for collectors building a baseline.
Whisky Types
Coverage spans single malt Scotch, bourbon, Irish whiskey and Japanese whisky.
Whisky by Region
Region-specific reading covers Tasmanian distilleries, Speyside, Islay and the rise of new-world whisky markets.
Whisky by Price
From accessible everyday bottles to grail-tier collector pieces.
Whisky Tours
For those planning a distillery road trip, our Australian whisky distilleries guide is a useful starting point.
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Whisky and Wisdom, run by Scotch Malt Whisky Society of Australia director Andrew Derbidge, is the most credentialed single-author voice in Australian whisky media. Time For Whisky and Whisky Waffle round out the top three for breadth of coverage and Tasmanian focus respectively.
Andrew Derbidge is the Director of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of Australia, a Keeper of the Quaich, and the writer behind Whisky and Wisdom. He won the Icons of Whisky Australia Best Communicator award in 2020 and the Rest of World category in 2024.
Tasmania is internationally regarded as Australia's leading whisky region, with distilleries including Sullivans Cove, Lark, Overeem and Heartwood having won major global awards. The mainland whisky scene led by Starward, Archie Rose and others is also producing internationally competitive expressions.
The Whisky Ledger, a Sydney-based whisky reviews and news blog, appears to have stopped publishing new content around late 2019. Its archive remains online and is still useful as a reference for Australian and international whisky reviews from its active period.
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