Distillery Tour and Guided Tasting

Old Kempton Distillery gives you two experiences in one: a look around Dysart House, built in 1842, and a guided tasting of four Tasmanian spirits. The distillery operates from the old coaching stables, giving the visit a genuine sense of place rather than the feel of a modern tasting room dropped into an industrial park.

I like the clear mix of old building and working distillery, and I like that the tasting covers whisky, gin, and liqueurs instead of asking you to sample one style four times. The main consideration is transport: you must make your own way to Kempton, and the visit begins at 1:30 pm.

Key points

• 1842 setting: Explore Dysart House and the former coaching stables used by the distillery.
• Four included tastings: Sample Old Kempton spirits made with 100% Tasmanian ingredients.
• A working spirits lesson: Learn how whisky, gin, and liqueurs are distilled and what shapes their character.
• Small group format: Numbers are capped at 20, so the guide can keep the visit manageable.
• Good road-trip stop: The distillery makes a useful break on the way to Hobart or another Tasmanian destination.
• Simple booking terms: The $32 price includes the tour and alcoholic tastings, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.

Entering Dysart House in Kempton

The visit starts at Dysart House, Green Ponds Hotel, at 26 Main Street in Kempton. This is not just a meeting point with a distillery nearby. Dysart House itself is part of the experience, dating from 1842 and giving you an immediate connection to Tasmania’s past.

The Old Kempton Distillery runs from the building’s old coaching stables. That detail matters. You are seeing a production space with a practical historic use, not simply walking through a polished bar decorated with a few antique objects.

Your guide leads the group through the house and distillery area, explaining how the site has been used and how the distillery has operated there since 2015. The information available for the tour does not promise a long architectural presentation, so you should expect a focused visit rather than a full museum tour of every room.

Still, the setting gives the first part real character. You can look at the building, understand its age, and then see how a modern spirits business works within that older structure. It is a neat contrast, especially if you are interested in both local places and food-and-drink production.

How Old Kempton Makes Its Spirits

The tour explains the process behind distilling spirits and the qualities that separate one type from another. That is useful even if you already know the basic idea of distillation, because whisky, gin, and liqueurs do not reach the glass in the same way.

You will learn about the distillery’s range, including single malt whisky, gin, and liqueurs. The exact production details are not listed, so I would not book this expecting a technical masterclass on every still, barrel, or botanical. Instead, expect a guided introduction that connects the production method with the flavors you taste later.

That order is important. Tasting four spirits after hearing how they are made gives you something to watch for. You can consider how a whisky differs from gin, how a liqueur is shaped by added flavor and sweetness, and how the character of each drink changes across the range.

The distillery uses 100% Tasmanian ingredients for its products. That gives the tasting a strong local angle. You are not simply sampling generic spirits under a Tasmanian label. The ingredients provide a reason to pay attention to the connection between the drink and its source.

The tour is also a good fit for anyone who wants a plain explanation of spirits before tasting them. You do not need to arrive with a vocabulary of tasting terms. The guide’s job is to explain the process and the characteristics of the drinks in a way that makes the samples easier to understand.

Four Spirits at the Guided Tasting

The tasting includes four Old Kempton spirits and alcoholic beverages are part of the $32 price. This is the heart of the visit, and it gives you a chance to compare products rather than judge one drink in isolation.

The selection can include the distillery’s whisky, gin, and liqueurs, though the supplied details do not specify the exact four pours on a particular day. That is worth keeping in mind if you have your heart set on one specific bottle. The tour promises four Old Kempton spirit samples, not a fixed menu.

I like this format because it keeps the tasting broad. A single malt whisky may appeal to you, while the gin or a liqueur may be the surprise favorite. A mixed selection also makes the session more useful for couples or friends with different tastes.

The tasting is guided, so you are not left to sip your way through four samples without context. You can connect the drink in front of you with the production explanation from earlier in the visit. The result should feel more like a short spirits lesson than a quick pour at a cellar door.

Drink responsibly, and plan your day around the alcohol. The activity lasts about 1 hour and 30 minutes, with the distillery stop itself listed as approximately one hour. It is not a full-day outing, but the tasting means you should not treat it as a casual stop before driving immediately afterward without thinking about your plans.

Why the Coaching Stables Matter

The old coaching stables are one of the most distinctive details here. They help explain why the distillery feels tied to Kempton rather than interchangeable with a spirits venue anywhere else.

A former stable is also a practical reminder that historic buildings can have a second life. The site once served a transport-related purpose, and it now supports the making and tasting of Tasmanian spirits. That change gives the visit more substance than a standard retail tasting.

You will not find a separate long list of historic stops. The Old Kempton experience focuses on Dysart House and the distillery in one location. That makes it easy to understand, but it also means you should not expect a broad tour of Kempton or a detailed study of Tasmania’s coaching routes.

For me, the appeal is the scale. You get enough local context to make the drinks memorable without spending half a day in a large attraction. If you are passing through the area, the visit can add a clear sense of place to your route.

Timing, Group Size, and the Road to Kempton

The tour starts at 1:30 pm. That fixed afternoon time is convenient if you are planning a slower morning, but it limits how you fit the visit into a tightly scheduled day.

The activity begins and ends at Dysart House Green Ponds Hotel. Private transportation is not included, so you need to arrange your own way to 26 Main Street, Kempton. The experience is therefore easiest if you already have a car or are building it into a wider Tasmania itinerary.

One review describes the stop as a useful break on the way to Hobart. That is practical advice. The location can work well as a planned pause between destinations, especially if the timing matches your route. Just remember that the tasting makes this more than a quick coffee stop, so allow time for the full visit and make sensible arrangements for driving.

The group maximum is 20 people. That is large enough to give the tour some energy, but small enough to keep it from becoming a crowd in a historic building or working distillery. A group of 20 can still feel busy, especially around a tasting area, but the cap is reassuring compared with an unlimited walk-in session.

A named guide, John, has been praised for explaining the process of making the handcrafted whisky, gin, and other liqueurs. Guide assignments can change, so you should not assume John will lead every departure. Still, his approach gives you a sense of the level of explanation to expect: practical, informative, and connected to the products.

Is $32 Good Value?

At $32, the price is fair if you want both the guided visit and the tasting. You are paying for access to a historic site, an explanation of the distilling process, and four alcoholic samples. It is not simply a bottle shop tasting with a token story attached.

The value improves if you enjoy comparing different spirits. Four samples give you enough range to decide what you like, and the local ingredients add a clear Tasmanian connection. If you are already planning to buy a bottle, the guided tasting can also help you choose with more confidence.

The value is weaker for anyone who wants a large production facility or a very long tour. The visit is approximately 90 minutes overall, and the listed distillery stop is about one hour. You are buying a compact, focused experience, not an all-afternoon distillery program.

I would also factor in the cost of getting there. Since transportation is not included, the $32 is only the activity price. For someone already driving past Kempton, that is easy to manage. For someone arranging a special transfer solely for the tour, the total cost will be higher.

Who Will Enjoy This Visit Most?

I would recommend Old Kempton to you if you like historic buildings, local food and drink, and short guided visits with a clear structure. It works particularly well for couples, small groups of friends, and people planning a road trip through Tasmania.

It also suits mixed-interest groups. One person can focus on the architecture and local setting, while another pays closer attention to whisky, gin, and liqueur production. The four samples give the tasting enough variety to keep the visit from depending on a single style of spirit.

You should think twice if you do not drink alcohol. The tour includes four spirit samples, and the tasting is a central part of the experience. The historic house may still interest you, but the activity is designed around spirits rather than architecture alone.

It may also be less suitable if you need a flexible start time. The listed start is 1:30 pm, and changes made within 24 hours are not accepted. On the positive side, free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time.

Service animals are allowed, and most people can take part. The group size is capped at 20. No special fitness requirement is stated, but the experience takes place in a historic building and distillery setting, so anyone with specific mobility concerns should confirm details before booking.

What the Visit Does Best

The strongest part of Old Kempton is the connection between place and product. Dysart House supplies the historic setting, the coaching stables provide the working backdrop, and the Tasmanian ingredients give the tasting a local purpose.

The second strength is the clear range of spirits. You can move from whisky to gin to liqueurs in one session, which makes the tour useful even if you are still figuring out your preferences.

The guide’s role is also important. John’s explanation has been singled out for making the process understandable, and that is exactly what you want from a short distillery tour. You should come away knowing more about how the spirits are made and why they taste different.

The main weakness is not a serious flaw, but a limit of the format. The tour is short, transport is your responsibility, and the four samples may not follow a fixed menu. If you want a detailed technical tour or a broad historical visit, this may feel light.

Should You Book Old Kempton Distillery?

Book it if you are passing through Kempton, enjoy Tasmanian spirits, and want a compact visit with genuine local character. The combination of 1842 Dysart House, the old coaching stables, and four included tastings gives the $32 price solid value.

I would make it a planned afternoon stop rather than an accidental detour. Check your route, allow about 90 minutes, and arrange your transport before you go. If those details fit, Old Kempton offers a friendly, focused way to learn about whisky, gin, and liqueurs without giving up half your day.

FAQ

Where does the Old Kempton Distillery tour start?

The tour starts at Dysart House Green Ponds Hotel, 26 Main Street, Kempton, Tasmania 7030.

What time does the tour begin?

The listed start time is 1:30 pm.

How long does the experience last?

The tour and tasting take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. The distillery stop itself is listed as about one hour.

How many spirits are included in the tasting?

Four Old Kempton spirit samples are included. The distillery produces spirits including single malt whisky, gin, and liqueurs.

Is transportation included?

No. Private transportation is not included, and the activity begins and ends at the meeting point in Kempton.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted, and the amount paid is not refunded.