With its mountainous terrain of forests, lush grasslands and diverse coastline, Tasmania is home to native botanicals, plants and spices that are unique to the island. Using these ingredients, the essence of the rugged and vast alpine landscape is something that Taylor & Smith Distilling Co. has captured in its handmade small-batch spirits.
Speaking to National Liquor News about the island’s unique qualities, Taylor & Smith Co-founder Natalie Smith says the landscape of Tasmania cannot be replicated anywhere else in Australia. With its cool climate, pristine water qualities, diverse plant life and isolated beauty, Tasmania’s distinct environment makes it a prime location for distilling spirits.
“The seasons are compressed here, and the growing season is short but intense from the thin sky. It makes for great intensity in the botanicals we use for the gin. Tasmanian growers and producers are able to develop quality products and tell the story of the landscape so that people from all over the world can experience the taste of Tasmania in the flavour profiles of the spirits we produce,” Smith explained.
Smith says local sourcing and provenance in Tasmania allows for creativity. With native plants and spices exclusive to Tasmania, incorporating these in drink production is important as it maintains retailer and customer engagement. An example of this is Taylor & Smith’s very own Abalone Shell Gin.
“We developed an Abalone Shell Gin that uses abalone shells from Bruny Island, one of the most beautiful and pristine places I can think of. We dive for the abalones, eat the abalone, dry the shells in the sun, crush them up and add them to the spirit. We have more recently started sourcing our abalone shell from First Nations people in Tasmania who have a commercial fishing license,” she said.
This initiative plays a part in Taylor & Smith’s goal of supporting local Tasmanian businesses and communities.
“It’s great to be able to support another Tasmanian business by using their by-product. Tasmania is one big community; we look after each other and try to collectively protect and care for the island while also working to grow the social and cultural capital of the people,” she added.
Another important element of the Taylor & Smith brand is storytelling, which ensures a strong band and maintains consumer relationships, says Smith.
“These stories are how we convey who we are; the extraordinary natural and cultural qualities of this place and essentially, what it means to be a Tasmanian. The broader narrative of Tasmania is always changing, as Tasmania evolves as a contemporary, flourishing island community. It is an island-place that has shaped and continues to shape the Tasmanian people,” Smith concluded.
“As a retailer, giving a customer the story behind a product is a gift. They take that story, and it shapes their thinking about the world. A story is a picture that they can carry with them and reimagine again and again. The story does not need to be long; it just needs to set the idea or place and the product in a context,” said Smith.
Mainland market penetration
With Tasmania being an island separate to the mainland, there are a number of challenges for distilleries like Taylor & Smith, including shipping and manufacturing costs and distribution of products to the mainland.
Another recent hurdle has been the surge in mainland products that claim to be Tasmanian, which Smith says are “trading on the Tasmanian brand, but don’t have the associated costs”.
Despite all of this, Taylor & Smith is well supported on the mainland, with a loyal customer base that values carefully crafted Tasmanian spirits.
“The benefits [of being an island] are that we have beautiful ingredients here that people value, from wild natural botanicals to rich cultural experiences, and the quiet life of distillers working hard to make their spirits. Telling the story of how, where, and why Tasmanian products are made is key to bringing the flavour to life,” said Smith.
