Tria Prima: Liquid Gold
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In partnership with Tria Prima
Tria Prima fine whisky has rapidly become one of Australia’s favourite premium single malt whiskies. The small familyowned and run artisanal distillery, established in 2017 in the picturesque Adelaide Hills in Mount Barker, is helping to establish the region as a mecca for top-quality spirits.
Head distiller and brewer, Paul Shand, is a former research scientist who embarked on a career as a geochemist, using chemistry as a tool to understand the evolution of the Earth and its natural waters. It was whilst prospecting for gold in the Scottish Highlands that Shand discovered liquid gold in the local bars (uisge beatha – the water of life, from which whisky takes its name) as well as real gold in the highland landscape. Awakening a passion for whisky inside him set Paul on the path towards a career change later in life, combining his knowledge of alchemy and science to create Tria Prima.
The name Tria Prima originates from ancient alchemy and signifies the ‘three primes’ – sulfur, salt and mercury. Alchemists believed these three chemicals could be transformed into ‘The Philosophers Stone’ – a magical creation that could transmute base metals into gold.
“Modern science has, of course, disproved such theories,” says Paul, whilst introducing what some might say is a very tall story. “The Tria Prima was a tightly guarded secret kept by a small group of alchemists called the Celts, which they took with them as they crossed Europe. It is the barley, the water and the oak that, together with the magical catalyst of yeast, are transformed into ‘liquid gold’ – the alchemist’s dream, the spirit of perfection and the true philosopher’s stone.”
The evocative label design and artwork adjoining each bottle were created by local Adelaide artist Matt Kavanagh and inspired by the Tria Prima story, working towards a theme of wizards and witches, as well as a nod to their admiration of Pre-Raphaelite art. The most recent releases introduce new characters painted by fellow SA artist James Dean.
At Tria Prima, the team fosters creativity but also respects tradition. “We use age-old techniques, honed by local ingredients and an arid environment to create a unique Spirit of Life reflecting our values of quality and transparency.” The single malt whisky at Tria Prima is made from South Australian barley, which gives rich, complex flavours. “The manufacture of our spirit is unhurried, to create a beautiful, clean spirit. Our distillation, for example, is twice as long as most distilleries, to maximise a process called reflux, which allows more contact with the copper of our still, removing unwanted impurities.”
The spirit is then stored in top-quality oak casks for a minimum of two years, although the whisky is not removed until it’s ready. The Mediterranean-type climate of South Australia makes for a different spirit than that produced in the classic whisky countries of Scotland and Ireland, but one that is holding its own against the best in the world.
“For the mature whisky, our rasin d’etre is very much focused on highlighting the influence that different cask types have on the flavour of each whisky,” says Paul. Each character on the label represents whisky matured in a different cask type, such as tawny and apera (Australian sherry), although these are getting more difficult to find. “Our casks are often scraped and re-charred, but the influence of the previous content still exerts a huge influence on the flavours produced,” Paul adds. “Enchantress, our apera cask, has notes of dried fruit and spice like a rich Christmas cake.” Other releases currently available include Bruxa (tawny cask), Shaman (bourbon cask), Magissa (Jansz sparkling-style wine) and Warlock (shiraz cask), with future releases including whisky aged in rum, cognac, virgin oak and maple syrup casks.
Tria Prima fine whisky certainly appears to be doing something right, with their first releases winning gold and silver medals, as well as a best in class for cask strength whisky, in Australian and International competitions. A single cask strength bottling was also awarded a ‘Liquid Gold’ (Superstar whiskies that give us all a reason to live) in Jim Murray’s annual Whisky Bible.
South Australia certainly has a lot to offer the discerning whisky drinker in terms of quality. But just as interesting as the whisky are the stories behind the distillers. As a young industry, many of Australia’s distillers have come from a plethora of backgrounds, including scientists, teachers, flagpole makers, brewers, postmen, pharmacists and even lawyers. Their passion and backgrounds are embodied in the whisky they make and set the scene for what is hopefully a revolution in Australian brown spirits.
Tria Prima is located at 31 Oborn Road, Mount Barker. For more information, visit triaprima.com.au.
