Callington Mill Distillery
Old Gaol Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky
Description
The Old Gaol is the fourth stop in our Heritage Series, which offers a tour throughout Oatlands’ most iconic buildings, weaving a tale of dark but deeply colourful history. Like their namesakes, each cask-matured whisky in this series is complex, intriguing, and essentially flavoured by time.
Enclosed within lofty stone walls, the Oatlands Gaol tells a chilling tale. Established around 1836, this symmetrical two-storey Georgian sandstone structure was once the largest regional gaol in colonial Tasmania, capable of confining up to 200 souls. By 1849, it was the last functioning rural gaol in the colony. Although largely dismantled in 1937 amid public outcry, its arching entranceway, a significant relic, was reinstated in 2015.
Designed by John Lee Archer, it was constructed by convict labour between 1834 and 1836. Segregated by a towering stone wall, the gaol had quarters for male and female prisoners and coexisted alongside a hospital for said convicts. An intriguing figure, hangman Solomon Blay, was a long-term resident, presiding over the execution of 18 men at the gaol’s main gates—a haunting spectacle that drew large crowds until hangings were moved inside in 1856.
Today, these remnants whisper tales of harsh justice and formidable endurance. This limited edition whisky stands as a testament to a history forged by hardship, resilience, and a relentless march towards the future.
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HERITAGE SERIES RELEASE 04/08 OLD GAOL
350 Bottles Produced • 231 Bottles Available
65.6% ABV (Cask Strength) • 700 ml
Oatlands is one of Tasmania’s most historic towns. Established in 1821 as a military outpost, it became central to the colony’s convict workforce and administration. Today, Oatlands holds the largest collection of colonial sandstone buildings in any Australian township, more than 130 in total, much of it built by convict labour in the early 1800s. Oatlands is also the proud home of Callington Mill Distillery, where this whisky was crafted.
Within this heritage, the Oatlands Gaol tells one of the most striking stories. Built in 1836, the two-storey sandstone structure became the largest regional gaol in colonial Tasmania, with capacity for 200 prisoners. By 1849 it was the last functioning rural gaol in the colony. Much of it was dismantled in 1937 amid public outcry, yet its archway was reinstated in 2015 as a solemn reminder of its past.
The Old Gaol Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky captures this legacy in liquid form. Its deep copper hue shines with rich brown tones, leading to a lifted and complex nose where perfume and spice intertwine with dried fruits, raisins and vanilla toffee. The palate is oily and enveloping, with layers of caramel, cardamom, honey, dried fruit and a touch of orange zest that give way to tobacco and oak spice. The finish is long and refined, lingering with milk chocolate and coffee – an exceptional conclusion to a whisky steeped in history.
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The Old Goal is the fourth stop in our heritage series which offers a tour through Oatlands' most iconic buildings weaving a tale of dark by deeply colourful history. Like their namesakes, each cask matured whisky in this series is complex, intriguing and essentially flavoured by time.
Click to discover the Heritage Series
TASTING NOTES
Colour: Copper and rich, deep brown.
Nose: Lifted with hints of perfume and spice. Dried fruits, raisins and vanilla toffee notes round out a complex and intriguing nose.
Palate: The palate has an oily viscosity that coats the mouth with hints of caramel, cardamom, honey, dried fruit and orange zest. The whisky lifts off the tongue leaving tobacco and oak spice lingering on the back palate.
Finish: Milk chocolate and coffee linger on the palate to round out this exceptional finish.
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