At Eden’s new home in Sandford, something pretty special happened this year. For the first time, barley was grown on the property that will one day be used to make the whisky itself.

Across the farm there were about 20 hectares of barley planted. Much of this initial crop will be used as grain or animal feed. But within that field, about three hectares (around five acres) have been grown as a trial crop for Eden.

The harvest went well. Around five tonnes of barley were collected and it is now sitting in the warehouse waiting for the next step. The grain needs time to settle and will be tested before heading to Devonport to be assessed for quality and nitrogen levels before going through the malting process.

While its a small amount of barley, it is an important start.

Growing barley at Sandford means Eden can begin connecting the whisky more closely to the land it comes from. Tasmania already produces some of the best barley in the world, and being able to grow it right next to the distillery is a big step towards making a truly local product.

If everything goes well, this first harvest could be the beginning of Eden whisky made from barley grown right here at home.