For over a hundred and fifty years, there was no whisky distilled (legally!) anywhere in Tasmania, thanks to the wowsers who ruled Van Diemen’s Land in the early years of the colony. That all changed when Bill Lark whispered in a few ears and set up the first legal distillery in Hobart in the early 1990s. But who could he tap to build the stills? He engaged Peter Bailly, a German-born boilermaker whose skill at stills was such that he’s even sold bespoke equipment to Scotland, where they know a thing or two about whisky.
By the 2020s, Peter was looking to retire to look after the grandchildren, around about the time that COVID struck. At the same time, Gerrard Hickey, a fitter and turner with a successful business here in the Huon Valley, found himself with free time when lockdowns and restrictions made business scarce. A chance comment led him to Peter, and after a quick chat they shook hands on the next stage of what became Bailly Stills.
With over a hundred hand-crafted stills out there now, ranging from 33 litres to 5000 litres in various shapes and designs, Bailly Stills has certainly made a mark in the industry. Taking up the torch, Gerrard has never considered ditching the name. Bailly Stills is a brand with history: first with Peter and now with Gerrard, the reputation for quality workmanship has never wavered.
Bailly Stills caters to everyone: small hobbyists starting out with their basement experiments, and the biggest national distillers with their world-wide distribution. Whether you’re producing whisky, vodka, gin, liqueurs or any other tipple, you’ll find that every Bailly still component is perfected by skilled artisans to produce the complex and subtle flavours you expect.
Browse the gallery to see the remarkable range of equipment Gerrard and his team produce right here in Port Huon. Then, when you’re ready to get to work making your own high-spirited spirits, give them a call and get started!