Travel books gush about the boom in distilling and brewing in Tasmania. I had to try some whisky…read moreduring a brief stop in Hobart. Without any prior planning, I stumbled into Lark Distillery. The location of the distillery makes it ideal for stumbling into-- it's right by the water surrounded by various tourist hot spots. I ordered the whisky flight and was promptly served 3 small pours. I remember the price feeling a bit high but generally reasonable. What really struck me was the lack of introduction or explanation about what I was about to drink. I had to ask for a bit of information at which point I was told the history of Bill Lark and the uniqueness of each pour. It was quite interesting and helpful but I wish it had been offered as default. I sat outside and had a quiet and relaxing few moments.

Let it be known that I am not traditionally a whiskey drinker (unless it's been beaten with an egg…read morewhite and lemon or served in a shot glass) however I knew, on this particular trip to Hobart, that today was the day. Lark Distillery is home to Lark Whiskeys - a Tasmanian born and bred, very fancy and very delicious whiskey. But what this venue is better known for is it's whisky tasting tray. For 20 clams you can try three of their best whiskeys and get a whiskey educational all-the-while sitting in a delightfully cosy space. For some extra dollars, you should most definitely get yourself a cheese platter to go with. It features locally made cheeses and quince with freshly baked bread. I promise you, Whiskey Tasting + Cheese Platter = match made in heaven. You CAN do a tour of the distillery and get a more serious educational, which will take up a few hours of your day, but really, all you need to do is get a chair at the bar and chat to the incredibly knowledgeable staff.

A great little spirt shop selling a huge range of boutique spirits all distilled in Tasmania. Were…read morewe lucky enough to be offered several samples. A great place for some unique Tasmanian spirits.

If you've got a car, make sure to visit Pooley for a fantastic introduction to traditional…read moreTasmanian winemaking. The tasting experience was lovely and the winery is really very picturesque. It was such a lovely day!

Pooley Wines was the first stop for my friends and me on our DIY wine tour of the area, and what a…read morebar it set for the rest of the day! Our wine tasting guide was friendly and fun, and no wine question of ours was too silly for an answer. All three of us left with a different bottle and a chunk more knowledge about the wines of the region, and I left with a bonus craving for Thai curry (after picking up a bottle of late harvest riesling). The site itself is quite picturesque, with gorgeous stone buildings sitting on the side of a hill. We steered past the cafe corner and hid in the little showroom, but I wouldn't mind a return visit perched on the cafe deck in the sun with a nice glass of Margaret Pooley Tribute (of course my palate likes the more expensive bottles, curse it).

Since 1856, this huge wine, beer, liquor & snack shop has been here. Fabulous selection at all…read moreprice points & wonderful gifts! Friendly helpful staff. It was the Costco of liquor shops here, aisles & aisles filled with Tasmanian & exotic products. It's about a 1/3 of mile or an 8 minutes walk from the cruise ship terminal. I was able to bring a box of wine on the ship. The Tasmanian wine was very nice, reasonable, but 2 liters is a bit much.

Beautiful bottle shop right as you head into Hobart wharf area. Great local wine and beer…read moreselection. Ask for Angelo if you don't know what to get. He made some delicious suggestions that prompted some tastings a few days later at the wineries themselves.

Must go to in New Norfolk or even drive 30 minutes away from Hobart. Great atmosphere of seating…read moreand full garden plants. There was a food truck on Saturday. Games up a hall for children and many armchairs to relax while drink wide array of beers. Many brewed on site. Open in 2020 just as Covid started. Brewery supplies several local up market restaurants. Friendly service and an oasis in somewhat down beat town.

Excellent tasting session! This was my favorite tasting experience during the trip. Largely it was…read moredue to the fact that the winemaker himself hosts the experience and you really get an intimate and in-depth experience. It's by appointment only and I was there solo and really enjoyed learning more about Tassie wine, Tasmania at large, and his craft. Highly recommended if you're a wine lover!

Tucked unassumingly between the mall and Brisbane street, this surprisingly large bottle shop has…read moreall sorts of odd, rare, hard to find and specialty wines and beers. You'll pay for the convenience though- some single bottles of imported American Beer will cost $40(!). The staff know about the stuff they sell, can give you genuine advice, and they can spin stories about the brewers, their products and "behind the scenes" type stories. My only complaint is they put the prices up with an old school, sticker type price gun, and the price tags often fall off so you have no idea how much things cost!

THE place in the city to get all sorts of weird and wonderful wines, beers and ciders, warm or…read morestraight from the fridge. There are always a few specials if you're looking for something at the lower end of the budget, but there's also a range of gorgeous Tasmanian wines, as well as drinks from all over the world. If you want it, they'll probably have it, and if they don't have it, they'll probably get it in for you. Cool Wine even have some random spirits and liqueurs on their shelves that'll serious tempt you! As a gin fan, I was impressed with their unexpected selection and I definitely know where to go in the future if I'm looking for something fabulous to add to my liquor cabinet.

What an adorable place!…read more My nickname is 'Puddleduck', so of course on the way back to Hobart from visiting Richmond I had to stop in and visit this winery. And I'm so glad we did! The first thing that welcomes you is a giant sign letting you know you're welcome to 'Reverse BYO' - that is that you bring the food and they'll provide the wine. A great idea and muchly appreciated, as if you're on a budget you'll have more to spend on wines! The setting for this winery can only be described as idyllic - the main building sits on the edge of a dam and has a deck outside. We happened to visit on a perfect day and sat for a while in the sunshine on the deck watching the various water birds. There's a beautiful grassed area with chairs and tables and even a children's playground and a big area for the kids to run around and let off steam. There were a few families enjoying lunch and a few drinks and I love that they cater to families so well. We opted for the $5 wine tasting at the bar - there is also an option for a $15 sit down tasting or a $25 one which includes a cheese platter. All of those costs are deducted if you choose to purchase a bottle. My favourite was the Pinot Noir which smelled and tasted amazing. They also have all these options available as a cider tasting too! The guy who was serving welcomed us enthusiastically when we arrived and told us a bit about tastings etc. He also apologised and told us that the service may be a little slower because he was running the show on his own. This is a family business and his mum had an appointment so was unable to help out that day. I appreciated the forewarning and preemptive apology but it was not needed - the service was great. When we went to pay for our tasting he even offered them for free as he felt like he had not been able to be as attentive to us as he wanted to be! I absolutely loved my time at Puddleduck and will endeavour to visit whenever I am back in Hobart. It's well worth the drive from the city!

I absolutely love Puddleduck to bits. My first visit was their first weekend open with essentially…read morejust a little hut by the pond and the paint still drying - I've been coming back ever since and watching the place grow into the wonderful business it is now. The 'shop' is still a fairly small building by the pond (major extension coming this year) but with a lots of outdoor seating around the water either under umbrellas on the grass or under the marquee. The Puddleduck wines are great (do NOT miss out on trying Bubbleduck) and you can kick back whilst working through the wine list with a cheese platter made up of 'wicked' cheeses produced just down the road. Don't want cheese? No problem! Puddleduck allows 'reverse BYO'. You bring whatever picnic food you want and they supply the wine! Puddleduck makes a great wine tasting stop along the Coal Valley route, but if the weather is good I recommend putting aside an afternoon and relaxing - the whole business is a family affair and it feels like it, with warm friendly service that makes you feel instantly like old friends. Other important notes about Puddleduck; you can meet internationally famous 'wine dog' Basil and his cohorts Polly and Sybil. You can also meet Lucky the duck (and all of his friends if they are feeling sociable and you can adopt your very one vine!