Tria Prima: The Alchemy of Australian Whisky, Reimagined.

In the heart of the Adelaide Hills, where parched earth meets celestial ambition, a quiet alchemical revolution is unfolding. Tria Prima, an artisanal whisky entity founded by Paul and Trang Shand, doesn’t merely produce whisky - it distills philosophy, history, and the ineffable mystery of transformation into every drop. This is no ordinary distillery. It is a sanctum of elemental magic, where the ancient dream of the alchemist - to transmute base substance into gold—finds its modern echo in the amber glint of uisge beatha: the water of life.

At the centre of Tria Prima’s ethos lies the reimagining of the Tria Prima - not merely as a symbolic triad but as a living formula: barley, water, and oak. These form the crucible through which transformation is not only hoped for but pursued with unrelenting dedication. Add to this the invisible catalyst - yeast - and the result is a process that teeters on the edge of science and mysticism.

This is the distiller’s Philosopher’s Stone: not a golden prize, but a spiritual distillation of perfection itself. A journey, not a destination. As Paracelsus once said, "Alchemy is the art that separates what is useful from what is not by transforming it into its ultimate matter and essence." For Tria Prima, the “ultimate essence” is the whisky that lingers long after the glass is empty - a sensory imprint left on the soul.

The Alchemist in the Hills

Paul Shand’s path to becoming Head Distiller is itself a tale of transmutation. Once a geochemist exploring the mysteries of Earth’s crust and waters, he found a different kind of gold in the Highlands of Scotland - liquid, elusive, and utterly transformative. The rigour of science and the romance of whisky intertwined, and a new chapter began. His scientific mind now applies the same diligence and curiosity to crafting spirits that honour the past while pushing into new frontiers.

From their nano-distillery perched near Mount Barker Summit, the Shands produce their elixirs with the precision of laboratory work and the soul of poetry. It is here, among unforgiving terrains, that some of the gentlest, most complex whiskies in Australia are born.

The Spell Weavers: A Cast of Characters

What distinguishes Tria Prima is not just the calibre of its whisky, but its narrative approach to craft. Each expression is more than a blend of cask and malt - it is a character, a story, a spell woven into bottle and label. Collaborating with local artist Matt Kavanagh, the distillery has created a visual and sensory mythology around its releases.

Take Enchantress, the Spell Weaver. Her essence is captured from two 100-litre McWilliams Apera casks, gently scraped and charred to conjure a new spirit. She stands cloaked in mahogany velvet, the hue of old library shelves and candle-lit study chambers. Gaze long enough and you may see stories swirling in her depths—sepia-toned memories steeped in time.

Raise the glass and her spell begins.

At first, there is furniture polish, not the sterile kind but the waxed patina of a well-loved heirloom - a grandfather’s cedar writing desk, perhaps, ink-stained and perfumed by time. Then, a rush of toffee apple - sweet yet nostalgic, the kind handed to you at twilight fairs.

But there is mystery too: the sherry influence unfolds like a velvet curtain at a theatre of scent - notes of sun-dried sultanas and a hint of antique musk, the kind that lingers in the folds of a velvet opera coat.

On the roof of the mouth, she sings.

The mouthfeel is silken, like dipping into still, warm waters - inviting, enveloping. The opening notes are succulent, like dried apricots steeped in syrup, and glide seamlessly into creamy Oloroso sherry, threaded with black tea tannins - elegant and slightly astringent, like a whispered secret with teeth.

Light oak follows—a supporting character, never dominant—like the gentle rustle of pages in an old book. And then, unexpectedly, a twist: mint, subtle and fleeting, like the cool breath of night through a stained-glass window.

The finale lingers like the echo of a song once heard across a moor.

Here is autumn in liquid form - damp leaves underfoot, the nutty scent of cracked walnut shells, the earthy solemnity of fading light. The medium-dry sherry thread binds it all together, like a spell written in a forgotten tongue.

Yet the true mastery lies in balance. The Enchantress is no tempest, no brash show of flavour. She is a choreographer of complexity, each note an extension of the last, each sip a step in an unseen dance. No part overwhelms - her magic lies in restraint, clarity, and the unfolding of layers.

Other members of the Tria Prima pantheon include Bruxa (aged in tawny casks), Shaman (a bourbon cask revelation), and future ethereal incarnations like Magissa, Warlock, and Seihdr - each aged in distinct cask types, each telling a different chapter in this ongoing story of elemental transformation.

The Spirit of Perfection

Unlike mass-produced drams, Tria Prima does not chase volume. It courts nuance. Every bottle is non-chill filtered, untouched by artificial colour, and speaks of its place of origin. South Australian barley, the arid air, and a devotion to craftsmanship shape each drop. This is whisky made at a pace dictated not by market forces but by the slow turning of time - alchemy demands nothing less.

In choosing the path less travelled, Tria Prima aligns itself with those seekers who understand that perfection isn’t a destination, but a lifelong pursuit. The Philosopher’s Stone may never be grasped, but perhaps, in a quiet moment with a dram in hand, it can be sipped, reflecting the spirit of the seeker back to themselves.

Because in the end, what is alchemy, if not the art of becoming?

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Words by AW.

Photo courtesy of Tria Prima.