Deal with government to result in barrel making at Corowa chocolate and whisky business

The money will go towards the construction of a customised cooperage at the former flour mill site where whisky distilling began in 2016.

Corowa Distilling Company managing director Dean Druce said the assistance would result in 26 new jobs, ranging from apprentice cooper to general manager.

Heading the enterprise will be master cooper John Carberry from Scotland who is steeped in the whisky industry, having worked for the makers of Johnnie Walker.

Pending visa approvals, Mr Druce hopes Mr Carberry and his family will soon emigrate to Corowa.

A development application for the barrel-making building, which will include a viewing platform for visitors, is close to being submitted to Federation Council.

It is hoped the cooperage will be open in June-July next year.

"It's not just about keeping Corowa Distilling Company operational, it's very much about the local wineries and local distilleries, we hope to get their business as well," Mr Druce said.

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"It's creating another option, they don't have to go with us, but it's an opportunity for them."

A forecast 5000 barrels are tipped to be formed on-site in the first 12 months and classes will be offered to patrons who want to make their own 20-litre cask.

Mr Druce said the nearest commercial level cooperage was in the Barossa Valley, so having a barrel maker at Corowa would be advantageous to producers across North East wine regions.

Member for Albury Justin Clancy visited the distillery to announce the grant on Friday afternoon.

"What a fantastic new resource or new manufacturing opportunity in our region," he said.

"This is going to serve not just the Corowa distillery but all the vineyards of the North East in that regard and it's with these bespoke skills which we are brining into our area."

Mr Druce said there was only 35 coopers in Australia and it was hoped his enterprise could reignite the art.

The grant follows Mr Druce being critical of the NSW government in August last year after it shut the Victorian border amid Melbourne's COVID outbreak.

He said then the "government is signing the death warrants of a lot of businesses on the border with the restrictions in place".

Reminded of those words, Mr Druce said his opinion changed this week on news of the $500,000 assistance.

"There's no doubt last year when the borders were closed I was grumpy with the government and I was grumpy for a long time," he said.

"But I've changed my tune on the NSW government as of Monday."

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