Wine, Gin & Whisky Tour – Hobart & SE Tasmania

Tasmania packs a lot into a small corner of the world, and this tour makes a full day of it: wine, gin, whisky, and cheese without asking you to drive between tastings. You’ll travel from Hobart into the Derwent Valley and Coal River Valley, with a small group capped at six people.

I like the mix of producers, especially the proper tour and tasting at Old Kempton Whisky Distillery. I also like that Ross, the guide, handles the day’s arrangements and keeps the experience personal. The main catch is simple: lunch is not included, and the order of stops can change with availability and weather.

Key points at a glance

• Four kinds of Tasmanian flavor in one day: Wine, gin, whisky, and cheese all get a turn.
• Old Kempton includes a distillery tour: This is more than a quick tasting stop, with lunch taken at the same venue.
• Small group size: The vehicle carries a maximum of six travelers, making this a more personal outing than a large coach trip.
• Hotel pickup within 5km of Hobart CBD: Pickup is scheduled for about 9:30am, with return around 4:30pm.
• Lunch costs about $20 extra: You get a lunch stop, but you’ll pay for your meal separately.
• The route is flexible: Stops may be rearranged, and a venue can be replaced by a similar one if conditions require it.

A full tasting day from Hobart

This is a seven-hour tour built around Tasmanian drinks and local food. You leave Hobart in the morning, visit several producers, stop for lunch, and return to your accommodation in the afternoon.

That timing works well if you want a serious introduction to the region without hiring a car. Tasmania’s tasting venues are spread beyond central Hobart, so the included air-conditioned vehicle matters. You can enjoy the samples instead of spending the day calculating who will be the designated driver.

The maximum group size is six. That is one of the tour’s strongest practical features. A small vehicle usually means less waiting, easier conversation with Ross, and a better chance to ask questions as the day unfolds. The experience is still a scheduled group outing, not a private tour, but it should feel much less crowded than a large bus excursion.

Ross is described as friendly and attentive, and the tour places real value on advance arrangements. That matters on a day involving several separate venues. You are not left trying to work out where to go next or how to fit a distillery and two wineries into one route.

Derwent Estate starts the morning with wine and cheese

The first planned stop is Derwent Estate, a local family-owned vineyard in the Derwent Valley. You’ll spend about an hour tasting wine and enjoying a cheese platter, with admission included.

This is a good opening stop because it eases you into the day. Rather than beginning with a rushed sample at a crowded counter, you get time to settle in, learn about the wines of the area, and have something to eat early on. The cheese platter also gives the morning a practical balance. A day of tastings is more pleasant when food is part of the plan.

You should expect this visit to focus on the local vineyard and its wines rather than a long formal lecture. The supplied details do not specify the exact wines poured, so the lineup may vary. That is normal for a producer-based tour and gives the day some flexibility.

If you are not a dedicated wine drinker, this stop still helps set the scene. The tour is not only about collecting drinks. It connects Tasmanian produce with the places that make it, then carries that idea through the rest of the day.

7K Distillery brings gin into the mix

At 7K Distillery, the focus shifts from grapes to gin. The tasting lasts about an hour, and the tasting fee is included.

This is a useful change of pace. Wine tasting can become a blur when several vineyards appear one after another, but gin gives the day a different style of tasting and a new set of flavors to consider. You can compare the character of the spirit with the wine you tasted earlier, even if you know very little about gin.

The schedule simply identifies this as a gin tasting, so you should not expect a full production tour unless the day’s arrangements include one. The important point is that 7K is a dedicated stop, not an afterthought squeezed into a few minutes.

You’ll want to pace yourself here. With whisky still ahead, the sensible approach is to taste carefully, drink water, and make use of the bottled water supplied in the vehicle. This is a tasting day, not a race to finish every glass.

Old Kempton combines whisky, a tour, and lunch

Old Kempton Whisky Distillery is the longest stop, at about two hours. It includes whisky tasting, a distillery tour, and lunch at the distillery.

This is likely to be the day’s main anchor. The tour gives you more than a sample of the finished product. You also get a look at the distillery operation, which adds context to the whisky tasting. For anyone interested in how spirits are made, this is the most substantial part of the program.

The lunch arrangement is convenient because you do not have to leave the distillery and spend more time getting to another venue. The meal itself is not included, though the estimated cost is about $20. Bring enough money for lunch and keep in mind that your appetite may be welcome after a morning of tastings.

The two-hour stop also provides some breathing room. A schedule packed with short tastings can feel hurried, but Old Kempton gives you time for the tour, the tasting, and a meal in one place. You may also appreciate this pause simply because it breaks up the drinking with solid food.

The exact whisky selection and lunch menu are not specified. That means you should book this for the overall distillery experience rather than for one promised bottle or dish.

A historic bridge and Pooley Wines in the Coal River Valley

After lunch, the route moves toward the Coal River Valley and includes a stop at Australia’s old bridge before visiting Pooley Wines. The stop at Pooley lasts about 45 minutes and focuses on local grape varieties and the area’s past.

The bridge adds a bit of sightseeing to what could otherwise be a nonstop tasting schedule. It gives you a chance to look around and take a break from the indoor parts of the day. The details do not give a separate duration for the bridge stop, so treat it as a short visit tied to the route rather than a major attraction on its own.

Pooley provides a second winery experience, which lets you compare a different producer with Derwent Estate. The tour’s wine stops are not identical: Derwent Estate opens the day with wine and a cheese platter, while Pooley concentrates on grape varieties and the story of the local area.

Forty-five minutes is enough for a focused tasting, but not for a long vineyard walk or an extended estate visit. If you want a full winery tour with lots of time among the vines, this may feel brief. If you prefer variety and several different producers in one day, the shorter stop keeps the schedule moving.

The Wicked Cheese Co. adds a final food stop

The listed route also includes about 30 minutes at The Wicked Cheese Co. for cheese tasting. This gives the day another food-focused pause and rounds out the wine and spirit tastings.

The cheese stop is particularly useful because it helps balance the alcohol-based parts of the tour. You can compare cheese with the wines you have tasted and enjoy a simple local-produce stop without adding another long venue visit.

The order of Pooley Wines and The Wicked Cheese Co. may vary. The tour can rearrange visits according to venue availability, weather, and other conditions. A venue may also be replaced by another similar producer. You should therefore view the tour as a tasting circuit rather than a fixed promise that every stop will happen in precisely the advertised order.

That flexibility is worth understanding before you book. If one particular venue is your only reason for taking the tour, ask about current arrangements before you commit. If your main goal is a well-organized day of Tasmanian wine, spirits, and food, the flexible format is less of a concern.

What the $251.04 price really covers

At $251.04 per person, this is not a budget sightseeing trip. The value comes from combining transport, several tastings, a distillery tour, and a small group into one day.

Included in the price are wine tastings, gin tasting, whisky tasting, cheese tasting, the distillery tour, bottled water, and an air-conditioned vehicle. Hotel or accommodation pickup and return are available within 5km of Hobart CBD.

You also save yourself the cost and trouble of arranging a rental car for a route that includes multiple alcohol producers. That is important here. Driving between wineries and distilleries is not a sensible way to enjoy this particular day, so the transport is more than a minor convenience.

Lunch is the main additional cost. The estimate is about $20, which is modest compared with the overall tour price, but you should include it in your budget. The first stop includes a cheese platter, but that should not be treated as a full lunch.

The price makes the most sense for you if you value variety and convenience. A person interested only in one winery may find the cost high. Someone who wants wine, gin, whisky, cheese, transport, and a distillery tour in one outing may find the package easier to justify.

Pickup, timing, and the small-group setup

Pickup is offered from hotels or other accommodation within 5km of Hobart CBD. The expected start is about 9:30am, and return is around 4:30pm.

That central pickup zone is useful, but it is not citywide. If you are staying farther from Hobart’s center, you should confirm how you will reach the meeting point before booking. The tour does not promise pickup from every address in the wider Hobart area.

Seven hours is a sensible length for this route. You get a full day outside Hobart without giving up the entire evening. The schedule has enough stops to feel substantial, but the short tasting visits mean you will spend part of the day in transit.

The air-conditioned vehicle is another practical plus, especially when weather changes. The tour can operate in different conditions, but the order of stops may change. Do not plan a separate appointment that depends on returning at exactly 4:30pm.

The maximum group size is six. Most people can participate, and service animals are allowed. The tour is also near public transportation, though the most useful transport feature is the included pickup for eligible Hobart accommodation.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would choose this tour if you want an easy introduction to several Tasmanian producers and do not want to drive. It suits couples, small groups of friends, and solo visitors who enjoy tasting rooms but prefer company during the day.

It is also a good fit if you want more than wine. The presence of 7K Distillery and Old Kempton gives the day a broader reach, while the cheese stops add food to the schedule. You will not spend the entire day comparing similar glasses of wine.

The tour may be less suitable if you want a slow, highly detailed visit at every venue. The route covers a lot in seven hours, so some stops are necessarily short. It may also disappoint anyone expecting lunch to be included or wanting a guaranteed fixed order.

You should also be comfortable with the possibility of a substituted venue. That is not unusual for a route involving several independent businesses, but it is worth accepting before you pay.

Booking and cancellation details

The tour is often booked well ahead, with an average booking lead time of about 56 days. That suggests you should not leave it until the last moment if your Hobart dates are fixed, especially since the group is limited to six people.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made inside that window are not accepted for a refund. If the minimum number of people is not reached and the operator cancels the tour, you will be offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Confirmation is provided when you book. Since the route can change with availability and weather, check the final arrangements and pickup details before the morning of the tour.

Should you book the Hobart wine, gin, and whisky tour?

Book it if you want a small-group tasting day with transport included, especially if wine alone is not enough to hold your interest. The mix of Derwent Estate, 7K Distillery, Old Kempton, Pooley Wines, and The Wicked Cheese Co. gives you a broad taste of southern Tasmania in one outing.

The strongest reasons to choose it are the six-person maximum, Ross’s attentive approach, the proper Old Kempton distillery visit, and the fact that you can sample spirits without driving. Add about $20 for lunch, accept that the route may change, and this is a practical way to see several producers beyond Hobart.

Skip it if you want a private itinerary, a slow day at one estate, or a tour with every meal included. For most visitors who want variety and a straightforward day out from Hobart, the balance is strong.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

Pickup is offered from your hotel or accommodation within 5km of Hobart CBD. The scheduled start time is about 9:30am.

What time does the tour return to Hobart?

Return to your hotel or accommodation within 5km of Hobart CBD is scheduled for about 4:30pm.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately seven hours.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is six travelers.

Is lunch included in the price?

No. Lunch is taken at Old Kempton Distillery, but the meal cost is separate and is estimated at about $20.

Which tastings are included?

Wine tastings, gin tasting, whisky tasting, and cheese tasting are included. The Old Kempton distillery tour is also included.

Can the order of the stops change?

Yes. The order can change because of venue availability, weather, and other conditions. A venue may also be replaced by another similar venue.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.