The distillery is owned by Betta (an interesting sideline for a milk producer!) and sits alongside the Betta works amid the rolling hills above Burnie. The building also boasts a restaurant with an excellent menu, and I'm told the meals are wonderful. However, we weren't there to eat on this occasion. A delightful young lady named Cathy took us on a guided tour of the facility, where we were able to sample a nip of their product (66.1% alcohol!!) - an experience which literally takes your breath away! Cathy explained the production process in some detail, and although the plant was not actively working on the day, we could see the government bond store (where the product sits while it matures until ready for sale), stacked high with thousands of casks of whisky. Back down in the stylish foyer and shop, we were able to sample some of their whisky cream products, and several bottles of these delicious liqueurs were purchased by our group.
Then, most of us took the short walk along the road to the Lactos cheese outlet, where we were able to sample dozens of varieties of cheese, many of which very few of our group seemed to have heard. Nevertheless, once again there were spirited purchases made after the sampling was over.
We then took a short drive further back into the hills to the Rhododendron gardens, where we found that our Jaguars were not the only attractions of the day! Being Tasmania Day, the gardens were also playing host to pipe and brass bands, and parking was at a premium. After some confusion about where to fit us in, we were directed to an area of car park, from where there was short downhill walk to a delightful pagoda on the edge of a small lake, the perfect place for a picnic. Unfortunately the steep terrain precluded a couple of our number from joining us at the pagoda; although the access problem was not of our making (we had been promised a spot with easy car access), we offer our apologies to those people.
After a leisurely lunch, we set about exploring the gardens, all the while enjoying the music drifting among the trees from the nearby bands. The sheltered location meant that the afternoon sun was quite hot, and the walk back up the hill to the car park was heavy going for a while. As expected, our cars were baking hot in the sun, so it was 'all doors open' for a while before we clambered back in to return on our way home.
- Geoff and Tony
You can find more pictures from this event in the Galleries.