Kempton: Whisky Distillery Tour with Tastings and Lunch

The best part of this Kempton experience is the setting: whisky is made inside Dysart House, an old country property with a working distillery, maturing barrels, and tales of ghosts. You get more than a tasting room visit because the tour connects the building, the production work, and the finished spirits.

I like the small group of up to 10 people, which gives the guide room to explain the process without shouting over a crowd. I also like the generous food and drink package: four spirit samples, an antipasto platter for two, a shared Tasmanian wine, and tea or coffee.

The main consideration is timing. The experience is advertised as two hours, but the listed tour sections total about two hours and 40 minutes. If you have a tight schedule, confirm the exact finish time before booking, and remember that transport to Kempton is not included.

Key Points

• A working distillery inside Dysart House: See where Old Kempton makes single malt whisky, gin, and liqueurs from Tasmanian ingredients.
• Four guided spirit tastings: The tasting focuses on a range of Old Kempton products rather than whisky alone.
• A proper local lunch: Share a Tasmanian antipasto platter and a bottle of red or white wine.
• A compact group: With no more than 10 participants, the tour should feel personal and easy to follow.
• A bond store full of aging barrels: The whisky matures in casks of different shapes and sizes, adding a useful behind-the-scenes element.
• A 10 percent Cellar Door discount: You can buy bottles, local produce, and souvenirs on the day at a reduced price.

Why Dysart House Makes This More Than a Whisky Tasting

Old Kempton Distillery has operated at Dysart House since November 2015. That detail matters because you are not visiting a separate modern tasting room with a decorative old building next door. The house itself is part of the distillery experience.

Your tour begins with a short look at Dysart House and its past. The guide also outlines how distillation works, giving you enough background to understand what you see later. I like this order. You first get a sense of place, then learn the basic process, and only after that go behind the scenes.

Dysart House also brings a little character that a standard distillery tour may lack. Ghost stories are part of the property’s past, so keep your eyes open as you move through the building. This is presented as part of the house’s atmosphere rather than the main event, but it adds a playful thread to the visit.

The tour is conducted in English, and the guide’s style is likely to suit you if you enjoy an explanation with some personality. The available comments describe the guide as well informed, good fun, and friendly. That is useful here, since a distillery tour can become dry if it focuses only on machinery and measurements.

Inside the Old Kempton Distillery

The distillery section takes you into the working side of the business. Old Kempton produces single malt whisky, gin, and liqueurs on site, using 100 percent Tasmanian ingredients.

You will hear how the distillation process works and see the spaces used in day-to-day production. The exact route may vary because this is a working operation, not a fixed museum exhibit. That variation is a plus for anyone who wants to see how a small craft distillery actually runs rather than follow a scripted display.

The small group helps here. With a maximum of 10 people, you should be able to hear the guide and ask questions without having to fight through a large crowd. I would still arrive 10 to 15 minutes early and check in with a team member at the Cellar Door, since the tour starts from Dysart House.

Closed-toe shoes are required. Wear weather-appropriate clothing as well, since the tour takes place rain or shine. The provided information does not promise that every part of the route is indoors, so sensible clothing is the easy choice.

The Bond Store and Maturing Whisky

The bond store is one of the more appealing stops for whisky fans. It contains maturing whisky and barrels in different shapes and sizes, giving you a clear sense of the time involved in making a finished bottle.

This is where the tour moves beyond a simple tasting. You see that whisky is not made, bottled, and sold in one quick step. It spends time resting in casks before it is ready, and the barrel-filled room makes that process easier to picture.

I also like that the bond store can interest people who are not already whisky experts. You do not need to know the difference between every type of cask before arriving. The guide gives you a framework, and the tasting later lets you connect the production details with the final spirits.

The tour does not promise a particular barrel, batch, or production activity on your date. Since it is a working distillery, what you see may change from one visit to the next. That makes each tour a little less predictable, though anyone expecting a highly staged demonstration should keep this in mind.

Four Spirits in the Cask Lounge

After the distillery and bond store, you settle into the Cask Lounge for a guided tasting of four Old Kempton spirits. The tasting is not limited to whisky. The distillery also makes gin and liqueurs, so the four drams give you a chance to compare different styles from the same producer.

A guided tasting is valuable because it slows you down. Instead of simply sampling four drinks, you get help understanding what you are tasting and how the spirits relate to the production process you have just seen. If you are new to whisky, this structure makes the experience less intimidating.

The Cask Lounge is located in the grand coaching inn that serves as the Old Kempton Cellar Door. It provides a comfortable place to sit after the walking and explanations. Tea and coffee are available at the end, which is a welcome non-alcoholic finish.

You should plan your transport with care. The tour includes four spirit samples, wine with lunch, and additional time at the Cellar Door. Even if you only take small tasting pours, you should not plan to drive after drinking. Transport to Kempton is not included, so arrange a sober driver or another way to return before you arrive.

Tasmanian Antipasto and a Shared Bottle of Wine

Lunch is built around a premium antipasto platter for two, made with Tasmanian produce. It is not described as a full restaurant meal with several courses, so I would think of it as a generous shared lunch rather than a formal dining experience.

That format suits the tour. You can continue talking about the spirits while sharing local food, and the platter gives the visit a slower, more social pace. The package also includes a shared bottle of Tasmanian red or white wine. You choose from the available range, so the wine adds choice without turning lunch into a separate ordering process.

The food is one of the strongest reasons the $134 price can make sense. You are paying for a guided house and distillery tour, four spirit tastings, lunch for two, a bottle of wine, tea or coffee, and a Cellar Door discount. For two adults who will enjoy the food and drinks, the package covers a good deal in one booking.

Still, value depends on how you use it. If you do not drink alcohol, or if you are mainly interested in the distillery machinery, the package may feel expensive because a large part of the cost is tied to tastings and wine. People who want a short, focused whisky tour without lunch may prefer a simpler activity, if one is available on their date.

Browsing the Cellar Door After Lunch

The visit finishes with time to browse the Cellar Door. You can look through Old Kempton’s spirits, locally made produce, and souvenirs connected with Dysart House.

The included 10 percent discount applies to Cellar Door purchases made on the day. This can improve the value if you already expect to buy a bottle or bring home a food product. I would not treat the discount as a reason to spend more than planned, but it is a useful extra for anyone who finds a favorite spirit during the tasting.

The Cellar Door also gives you time to finish your coffee or tea and gather yourself before leaving. That matters because the visit contains several parts: the house, production area, bond store, tasting, lunch, and shopping. You are not simply tasting four spirits and being sent on your way.

Timing, Group Size, and Accessibility

The experience is promoted as lasting two hours, with starting times depending on availability. However, the detailed schedule gives 45 minutes for the guided tour, 45 minutes for the spirit tasting, one hour for lunch, and 10 minutes for coffee. Those sections add up to two hours and 40 minutes.

I would contact the provider if you need to catch a bus, meet a driver, or fit the visit between other plans. The difference may reflect flexible scheduling or overlapping parts of the experience, but the published timings are worth checking.

The group is limited to 10 participants. That is a good size for a historic building and a small production site. You should have a better chance of hearing the guide, seeing the barrels, and asking questions than you would in a large coach group.

The tour is wheelchair accessible. People under 18 may attend free of charge, but they cannot sample spirits. The activity is not suitable for children under 18, so this is best treated as an adult outing rather than a family attraction.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the experience, and you can reserve without paying immediately. Those policies are helpful if your Tasmanian plans are still shifting, but they do not solve the transport question. You still need to get to Kempton yourself.

Who Will Enjoy Old Kempton Most?

I would recommend this to you if you like small producers, historic buildings, and food that forms part of the visit rather than an afterthought. It also suits couples or friends who want an afternoon activity with enough structure to feel worthwhile but enough sitting time to relax.

Whisky fans will appreciate the bond store and the chance to connect the aging process with the tasting. Gin and liqueur drinkers are not left out, since the four samples cover Old Kempton’s broader spirit range.

You do not need prior whisky knowledge. The tour begins with a basic explanation of distillation, and the guide leads the tasting. The strongest fit is someone who enjoys learning a little, eating local produce, and browsing a producer’s shop afterward.

I would be more cautious about booking if you have a very tight schedule, do not drink, or are looking for a hard-edged technical tour aimed at industry professionals. The exact production activity may vary, and much of the appeal comes from the full package rather than one dramatic demonstration.

Should You Book This Kempton Tour?

Book it if you want a relaxed Tasmanian food and spirits experience with a real sense of place. Dysart House, the bond store, and the working distillery give the visit more substance than a tasting alone, while the antipasto platter, wine, and Cask Lounge keep it comfortable.

At $134 per person, the price is fair when you share the platter and wine, sample all four spirits, and make use of the Cellar Door discount. Confirm the actual running time, arrange safe transport, and arrive early. If those details work for you, Old Kempton offers a friendly, small-scale way to meet Tasmanian whisky and the people who make it.

FAQ

Where does the Old Kempton Distillery tour begin?

The tour begins at Dysart House in Kempton, Tasmania. On arrival, see a team member in the Cellar Door with your booking information.

How long does the experience last?

It is advertised as a two-hour experience. The detailed schedule lists 45 minutes for the guided tour, 45 minutes for the tasting, one hour for lunch, and 10 minutes for coffee, so confirm the exact timing if your schedule is tight.

What is included in the $134 price?

The price includes the tour of Dysart House, the distillery and bond store, a guided tasting of four spirits, an antipasto platter for two, a shared bottle of Tasmanian red or white wine, tea and coffee, and 10 percent off Cellar Door purchases on the day.

Is transport to Kempton included?

No. You need to arrange your own transport to and from Kempton.

How many people are in each group?

The group is limited to 10 participants.

What spirits are made at Old Kempton Distillery?

The distillery makes single malt whisky, gin, and liqueurs on site using Tasmanian ingredients.

Can people under 18 attend?

People under 18 may attend free of charge with you, but they cannot sample any spirits. The activity is not suitable for children under 18.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the experience is listed as wheelchair accessible.

What should I bring?

Bring your driver’s license, weather-appropriate clothing, and closed-toe shoes.

Can I cancel my booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve your spot and pay later.