410 O’Grady’s Road, Kinglake Central is a 50-acre hideaway nestled at the edge of the Kinglake State Forest, down a quiet dirt road. The property has passed through the hands of many local families, and we often meet Kinglake locals with fond memories of swimming in the spring-fed dam—an 18-million-litre lake that remains the heart of the property. In fact, it was this lake that first drew us here. The previous owners called it ‘Whispering Lakes’—a name that fits it well.
Before whisky, it was pasture. Before pasture, potatoes. Kinglake was once famed for its spuds. In the 1980s and '90s, it even hosted a “King of the Mountain” race—contestants slogged through town with sacks of potatoes slung over their shoulders.
Go further back and you’ll find gold. The entire region was once a gold-mining hotspot, later becoming a major site for logging in the early 1900s. When we’re not making whisky, exploring the bush around the property is a favourite pastime. It’s rich with remnants—lumberjack notches, saw pits, and old gold mining shafts—slowly being reclaimed by vibrant forest.
Adding a special connection to place, the Messmate wood used in our tasting paddles comes from a nearby sawmill run by a descendant of one of the property’s former owners. It’s just down the road.
Today, the rich soils of Kinglake support thriving berry farms—especially raspberries and blueberries, which have deep roots in the area. One farm even hosted a legendary annual raspberry festival.
Those raspberries inspired a drink we served at last year’s Whittlesea Show—a mix of Chambord and sweet ginger ale that beautifully complements the berry, toffee and vanilla notes of our bourbon cask single malt.
Blowin, Raspberries
30 ml O’Grady’s Stand Single Malt whisky
30 ml Dry Ginger Ale
10 ml Chambord Raspberry Liquor
Fresh Raspberries to garnish
Mixed over Ice