SPIRITS AND DRINKS WRITER

^{Photo – Dean Schmideg}

I’m a Melbourne-based freelance writer, author, presenter and spirits judge. Formerly a bartender and educator at the award-winning Whisky & Alement, I’ve been the national spirits and cocktail columnist for Fairfax Media, and my work on drinks, travel and culture has appeared in a range of Australian and international publications, including The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review, Broadsheet, Whisky Magazine and The Spirits Business.

I’ve published extensively on the Australian spirits scene and the history of the industry. My first book, The Australian Spirits Guide, the first book-length work on Australian distilling, was published in 2016 by Hardie Grant Books. Forgotten Spirits: A History of the Distilling Industry in Victoria was published by Australian Scholarly Publishing in 2025, and St Agnes Distillery: The First 100 Years 1925-2025 was released in the same year.

As an experienced spirits judge, I’ve been a longstanding panel chair at the Melbourne Royal Australian International Spirits Awards, and a member of the Industry Advisory Group for the awards. I was the inaugural chief judge at the Perth Royal Distilled Spirits Awards, and I also judge at The International Wine & Spirit Competition in London.

I’ve frequently been interviewed about my work and the broader spirits industry on radio, appearing on 3AW, 2UE and 2GB. I’ve also appeared on ABC Radio’s Nightlife program and on ABC Television’s The World to discuss the international whisky industry.

If you have a question or would like to get in touch, drop me a line over on the contact page.