Created at the Morris of Rutherglen, Morris whiskies are made from 100% local Australian ingredients and finished in Morris fortified wine barrels, sourced from wineries in the Barossa and Coonawarra regions.
Darren Peck, who has been appointed as Morris head distiller having worked under John McDougall, consultant distiller, for the last seven years to create the whiskies, said: “Morris Whisky is a true expression of our home in Rutherglen, Australia, launching in the UK is a huge leap for us, one that’s exciting and loaded with opportunities to bring an authentic taste of Australian whisky to the UK market, working alongside our distributor Mangrove.”
Since 1859, the Morris family have been making fortified wines spanning over six generations. To create the whisky the brand still uses the original hybrid copper pot and column still, which was installed at the Morris site in the early 1930s, when it was used for producing base spirits for Morris’ fortified wines.
Nick Gillett, managing director at Mangrove Global, added: “As the demand for new and interesting whiskies from non-traditional regions continues to explode, Mangrove look to bring brands into the family which really encourage both the trade and consumers to explore the category. The effect of climate and territory in whisky continues to be something which adds to the whisky conversation alongside traditional variables of grain type, ageing and cask finishing; we think Morris is the perfect blend of the old and new world.”
Morris Australian Single Malt Signature Whisky, 40% abv is available from Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange for an rrp of £51.