Five Questions with Leigh and Bree from Backwoods Distilling Co.
Backwoods Distilling Co. have become one of Australia’s most distinctive regional whisky producers, known for their focus on heritage grain varieties, Australian-grown ingredients and a commitment to creating whiskies that reflect their place of origin. As this month’s release lands in members’ glasses, we caught up with the team to talk Apera casks, red gum smoke, sustainable farming and what’s been happening in Yackandandah since we last spoke.
BACKWOODS DISTILLING CO. FOUNDERS LEIGH AND BREE ATTWOOD
What’s been happening at Backwoods since we last worked together?
“A lot has been happening at Backwoods. Since we last worked together, we have been steadily increasing whisky production, refining our grain program, and spending more time with heritage barley varieties and sustainable growers who align with the way we want to make whisky.
We have also been building out the next stage of the distillery: a new bond store and processing facility, which gives us more room to mature stock properly, manage casks more carefully, and keep improving the way we work as the business grows.
On the product side, we have expanded the range with new core range whiskies and gins, including the introduction of one of our most loved single malts into the permanent line-up. We have also started to see a little bit of export activity, which is exciting for a small regional distillery from Yackandandah.
It feels like the next chapter of Backwoods is really taking shape: still grounded in our local area and Australian ingredients, but with a broader audience beginning to discover what we do.”
Tell us about this month’s Toasted Apera Cask Whisky and what makes it stand out.
“The Toasted Apera Cask Whisky is built around some very special Australian Apera casks sourced from McWilliam’s, one of the country’s premium Apera producers. These barrels fit our philosophy perfectly. Wherever possible, we choose casks that have previously held Australian products because we believe that helps amplify Australian flavour and celebrates the producers, growers and makers who came before us.
These particular casks are difficult to source because they do not turn over often. In Apera production, the barrels can remain part of a solera system for decades, quietly building complexity. That history matters to us, and we wanted to preserve as much of that provenance as possible.
Rather than heavily charring the casks and overwhelming their original character, we opted for a light-to-medium toast and a light char. This approach lets the oak and the Apera flavouring remain intact while giving the spirit time to slowly break down the barrel and draw out layers of dried fruit, spice, oak sweetness and structure.
Leigh also re-coopered these casks himself. We like doing that work in-house when time allows because it gives us a deeper connection to the barrel and more control over the final result.
For us, this whisky stands out because it carries a very Australian thread all the way through: Australian grain, Australian smoke, Australian Apera casks, and maturation in Yackandandah.”
BACKWOODS DISTILLING CO. TOASTED APERA CASK SINGLE MALT WHISKY
Grain seems to play a big role in your philosophy. Can you tell us a bit more?
“We source our grain from Voyager Craft Malt, working down to a small number of farms that use sustainable farming practices. That relationship is important to us because grain is not just an input; it is the foundation of flavour. We want the whisky to reflect the work of Australian farmers and maltsters, not just the distillery.
The mash bill contains three malt varieties. We focus on heritage varietals in both our single malt and rye whiskies because we find they bring more depth, texture and flavour than many modern high-yield varieties.
A 10% portion of the malt used in this whisky was smoked with red gum. We do this because we are trying to build uniquely Australian flavours into our whisky. Many distilleries import peated malt from Scotland to add smoke, and while that can make excellent whisky, it does not feel distinctly Australian to us.
“Red gum gives us a different kind of smoke: drier, woodier, more familiar, and more connected to the Australian landscape.”
We use it lightly, not to dominate the whisky, but to add structure and backbone. It often creates a strong sense of nostalgia for people. One customer once told us, “This reminds me of camping with my dad at Easter,” which is exactly the kind of emotional connection we hope Australian whisky can create.
To be honest, we still have not fully “settled” – and that is deliberate. Our production philosophy is based on continuous improvement. We have had a lot of success with our single malt profile, so we do not want to make dramatic changes for the sake of it, but we are always looking for small improvements that add depth, balance or a stronger sense of place.
A good example is our recent inclusion of Cape Barley, a heritage variety that has only recently been reclaimed on the mainland. It was the original barley variety used by Cascade Brewery in Tasmania, and it brings a level of depth and complexity that you do not normally find in a base malt. It suited our new make spirit so well that we began incorporating it into the mash bill. It is also grown on a sustainable farm, which matters to us.”
How do you approach maturation and deciding when a whisky is ready?
“For this release we used Australian Apera hogsheads that were then toasted and lightly charred. Apera casks are a natural fit for our spirit because they bring rich dried fruit, spice, sweetness and depth without needing to push the whisky too far. The lighter toast and char were chosen to preserve the character of the Apera cask rather than bury it under heavy oak influence.
The Apera casks were sourced from McWilliam’s. They are particularly special because the winery rarely turns these casks over, and many have spent decades in Apera production before coming to us.
The whisky was aged in Yackandandah at our bonded storage site, for a minimum of four years, some five.
We have a small sensory panel that routinely assesses our casks and reports on their development. We take this process seriously enough that we have built an app to help us track the changes occurring in individual casks over time.
The decision to bottle is not just about age; it is about balance, integration, texture, aroma, and whether the cask has reached the point where the spirit and oak are working together rather than competing.
At 46% ABV, the whisky sits in what is almost always a sweet spot for our profile. The strength is high enough to carry aroma, structure and complexity, but not so high that it overwhelms the softer fruit, spice and smoke notes we want people to experience.”
What’s next for Backwoods?
“We have recently added one of our most loved and successful single malt whiskies to our core range: Single Malt Shiraz Barrels. Matured in French and American oak ex-Australian Shiraz barrels, it is fruit-driven, approachable and delicious, while still carrying the structure and depth we want in our whisky. Its recent Gold and 95-point result at the IWSC 2026 has made its move into the permanent line-up feel even more special.
We also continue to explore special small-batch releases. These are a big part of what keeps the distillery creative and exciting for us. They give us room to showcase individual casks, different barrel types, and ideas that might not fit neatly into a permanent core range. Barrel Lane is often one of the best places to secure a bottle of these releases because they can sell out very quickly.
The best way to stay across upcoming releases is to follow our socials, because the small-batch whiskies often move quickly
At the Cellar Door, we also offer a fill-your-own-bottle experience. There is always something special in that cask, and at the moment we are filling bottles from our original Barrel #1. For visitors, it is a chance to take home something that connects directly to the early history of Backwoods.
Backwoods has always been about more than simply making whisky. We want our spirits to say something about where they come from. That means paying attention to Australian grain, Australian farmers, Australian barrels, Australian climate, and the flavours that feel connected to this place.
Our nod to farmers is central to that story. Without good growers and maltsters, there is no good whisky. By working with sustainable farms, heritage grain varieties and Australian-grown ingredients, we are trying to make whisky that supports the people behind the raw materials as much as it celebrates the final product in the glass.
We are a regional distillery, and we are proud of that. Yackandandah, the High Country, the climate, the barrels, the grain and the people all shape what we make. Our mission is to create spirits that are unmistakably Australian: not by copying another whisky tradition, but by building flavour from the ingredients, landscapes and stories around us.”
Finally from Barrel Lane: A big thank you to the Backwoods team for sharing their insights with Barrel Lane members. From heritage barley and red gum smoke to rare Australian Apera casks, this release is a reminder that some of the most exciting whisky stories are being written right here at home.
