Forgotten Spirits

A History of the Distilling Industry in Victoria

Luke McCarthy

$39.95

Paperback

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English

Australian Scholarly Publishing
01 July 2025

History; Food & society

Forgotten Spirits is the story of 180 years of distilling in Victoria. In this landmark account, author Luke McCarthy takes a fresh look at Australia's history of distilling and uncovers near-lost facts and recollections from Victoria's whisky, gin, brandy and rum-making past. McCarthy describes the fiery origins of distilling in early Melbourne and traces an industry's emergence after the Victorian gold rush, detailing the challenges it faced amid tariffs, world wars, international acquisitions and shifting consumer trends. With meticulous research and a wealth of archival material and imagery, he brings the rise, fall and remarkable revival of Victorian distilling vividly to life. For spirits professionals, enthusiasts and anyone interested in Victoria's cultural and industrial heritage, this book unearths the rich legacy of spirits production that set the stage for the modern industry's global acclaim.

By: Luke McCarthy
Imprint: Australian Scholarly Publishing
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 246mm, Width: 189mm,
ISBN: 9781923267411
ISBN 10: 1923267418
Pages: 132
Publication Date: 01 July 2025
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Luke McCarthy is a freelance writer, author and spirits judge. After completing a bachelor in writing and literature at the University of Melbourne, he worked at the award-winning Whisky & Alement as a bartender and educator and wrote a longstanding national drinks column for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. He has published extensively on the history of Australian distilling and is a senior judge and industry advisory member at the Melbourne Royal Australian International Spirits Awards. His book, The Australian Spirits Guide, the first to tackle the history and revival of the industry, was published in 2016 by Hardie Grant Books. He lives in Melbourne with his family and is a regular contributor to Australian and international publications on the drinks and bar trade.