TLDR: The Drink Tasmania Signature Tour is a full-day tasting trip from Hobart that takes you to four premium venues showcasing Tasmanian wine, whisky, cider, and craft beer, with up to four guided tastings and no driving for you. It starts at Brooke Street Pier at 10:30am, finishes around 5:30pm, and costs from $289 through Touring Tassie. Lunch is extra, and the itinerary changes by day and season.
Tasmania makes wine, whisky, cider, and beer worth travelling for, but visiting a handful of producers in one day usually means hiring a car and finding someone willing to stay sober. The Drink Tasmania Signature Tour solves both problems. You meet your guide at Brooke Street Pier on Hobart's waterfront, head to four premium venues across southern Tasmania, and taste your way through award-winning wines, world-class whiskies, small-batch ciders, and craft beers. The tastings come with landscapes to match and plenty of local stories. It's bookable through Touring Tassie from $289, and it runs roughly 7.5 to 8 hours from start to finish.
This guide explains what the day looks like, which venues the tour draws from, what's included, and how to decide whether it suits you, so you can book with confidence.
The tour at a glance
- Meeting point: Brooke St Pier, Franklin Wharf, Hobart, where you meet your guide at the bottom of the ramp
- Start: 10:30am (start times are fixed)
- Finish: approximately 5:30pm at Brooke St Pier, with the option of a drop-off at a Hobart bar or the waterfront
- Duration: approximately 7.5 to 8 hours
- Venues: four premium venues showcasing wine, whisky, cider, and craft beer
- Included: up to four guided tastings and a guide, with transport between venues (lunch is bought separately)
- Group size: maximum 16 guests, minimum 4
- Price: from $289, bookable through Touring Tassie
How the day unfolds
The operator sets the start and finish times, and the stops in between shift with the day of the week and the season. Here's the rhythm you can expect.
10:30am, Brooke Street Pier. Meet your guide at the bottom of the ramp on Franklin Wharf. If it's raining, head up the ramp and go in through the glass doors. Brooke Street Pier is the floating pier on Hobart's waterfront where the MONA ferry also departs, so it's easy to spot and central for most accommodation.
Late morning, the first venues. The group heads out of the city towards the day's producers. At each stop, your guide and hosts take you through a guided tasting and explain what makes each drink distinctive.
Midday, lunch. The tour stops at one of the operator's favourite local venues, where you choose a meal that suits your appetite. Lunch isn't included in the price, and menus typically range from $20 to $60.
Afternoon, the remaining venues. You visit the rest of the four premium venues. By the end you'll have sampled a mix of Tasmanian wines, whiskies, ciders, and craft beers from around southern Tasmania.
Around 5:30pm, back in Hobart. The tour concludes at Brooke St Pier. If you'd like to keep going, the tour can conclude at one of Hobart's bars, or drop you at the scenic waterfront to explore at your own pace. The operator's team is also happy to point you toward the best dining and experiences in southern Tasmania. The finish time is approximate, so avoid tight bookings straight after.
The drinks you'll taste
The Signature Tour is built around variety, so you're not tasting the same style four times. According to the tour listing, it showcases award-winning wines, world-class whiskies, small-batch ciders, and craft beers. Depending on your day's itinerary, here's what to look forward to.
Wine
Southern Tasmania's cool climate is the reason its wines have such a following. Grapes ripen slowly, which produces crisp acidity and elegant flavour, and a tasting may move from sparkling and white wines towards Pinot Noir, a specialty of Huon Valley producers such as Home Hill and Kate Hill.
Cider
Tasmania has long been called the Apple Isle, and cider is a natural part of the story, particularly in the Huon Valley south of Hobart. A cider tasting lets you compare styles, from dry and crisp to fruit-forward and small-batch, at producers such as Pagan Cider and Willie Smith's.
Craft beer
Craft beer adds a change of pace to the day. A brewery tasting takes you through the range, and it suits anyone who prefers a beer after a couple of wines.
Whisky and spirits
Tasmania's whisky scene has built a strong reputation, helped by clean water, cool conditions, and locally grown barley. A distillery tasting lets you try single malts and other spirits, and hear how they're made.
Venues the tour draws from
The itinerary changes depending on the day of the week and the season. The tour listing names the locations it may include, so treat this as a menu rather than a fixed route. Not every venue appears on every departure.
Wine: Home Hill and Kate Hill, both wineries in the Huon Valley
Cider: Pagan Cider and Willie Smith's, both Huon Valley cider producers
Beer: Cascade Brewery Bar, at Hobart's Cascade Brewery beneath kunanyi/Mount Wellington
Spirits: Sullivans Cove, Spring Bay Distillery, Callington Mill (Hobart), and Battery Point Distillery
If your day heads to the Huon Valley, expect a scenic drive of roughly 25 to 30 minutes south of Hobart, into the region known for its orchards, wineries, and cider houses. Home Hill and Kate Hill are both known for cool-climate Pinot Noir, and Willie Smith's, at Grove, is a cidery and cafe that also makes apple spirits. Sullivans Cove is a whisky distillery in Cambridge, near Hobart Airport, and Callington Mill's Hobart venue is the city-side home of a whisky and gin distillery based in the historic village of Oatlands. Because the listing doesn't publish a fixed schedule, ask before booking whether a specific producer is likely to feature on your chosen date.
Why the itinerary changes, and why that's a good thing
A variable itinerary can feel unsettling when you like to plan, but it works in your favour. Producers open, close, and change their offers through the year, and the tour is built around whichever venues suit the day of the week and the current season. In practice, that means your itinerary reflects what's best on that date, rather than sending a group to a venue that's between opening days.
The trade-off is that you can't guarantee a specific venue on a specific day, so treat the four-venue structure and the mix of drinks as the promise.
Lunch: what to expect and what to budget
Lunch isn't part of the tour price, which keeps the fare lower and lets you choose what suits you. The listing says menus typically range from $20 to $60, with options such as artfully crafted share plates, farm-to-plate or ocean-to-plate meals, and wood-fired pizzas. Have a rough budget in mind, and bring a card, since you'll pay directly at the venue.
If you have dietary requirements, tell the operator when you book so the lunch stop can be planned around them. It's also smart to eat a proper breakfast before you meet at the pier, since tastings start soon after.
Tastings and pacing: how much will you drink?
The tour includes up to four guided tastings across the day, and each is designed for sampling rather than finishing a full glass. A few habits help you enjoy the whole day:
- Eat breakfast and a proper lunch, and snack if you're offered food
- Drink water between stops
- Feel free to tip out or leave anything you don't want to finish, as that's normal at every cellar door and distillery
- Ask questions, since your guide and hosts enjoy explaining what they do
- Pace yourself early so you still enjoy the final stop
If someone in your group doesn't drink alcohol, check with the operator about how the day works for them before you book.
How to get more from every tasting
A guided tasting is more rewarding when you take it slowly. A few simple habits, used by keen tasters everywhere, make each stop count.
Look, smell, then taste. Check the colour, take a moment to smell the drink, and only then sip. Aromas carry much of the flavour, especially with wine and whisky.
Try a little water first. With spirits, tasting hosts often suggest adding a few drops of water to open up the aromas. If you're offered water, take it.
Compare as you go. When a producer pours several drinks, notice how they differ, whether in grape variety, apple blend, hop character, or cask. That's where the learning happens.
Ask your hosts. The people pouring know the drinks well, so use the chance. Good questions include what makes this batch different, how long it aged, what they'd pair it with, and what's coming next.
Make a note. Keep the notes app open on your phone, or snap a photo of labels you like, so you can find them again.
Cleanse between styles. Sip water and eat a little food between stops so a strong spirit doesn't overpower a delicate wine.
Buying bottles and taking them home
Most producers sell what they pour, and buying direct is one of the best parts of a tasting day. Cellar doors and distilleries often have bottles, and sometimes limited releases, that don't reach ordinary shops. Bring a card, and keep your budget in mind, since it's easy to fall for several.
If you're travelling home by air, ask the venue whether they ship interstate or overseas, as many producers offer this, and check your airline's rules for carrying alcohol in cabin and checked baggage before you buy. Ask the guide for help carrying purchases through the day, too, since a few bottles add up quickly across four stops.
No designated driver needed
This is one of the tour's biggest selling points. A self-drive tasting day means someone has to abstain, and it's easy to underestimate how many cellar doors, distilleries, and breweries you're visiting. On the tour, transport between venues is handled for you, so everyone in your group can taste properly and relax. That also removes the stress of navigating rural roads, finding parking, and timing bookings at each cellar door.
Drinking responsibly and getting home safely
A tasting day involves a lot of small pours, and it's wise to plan for the evening as well. Drink water between stops, eat properly at lunch, and pace yourself, especially in the early venues. Once the tour ends, don't drive: the tour finishes in the centre of Hobart, where taxis, rideshares, and walking routes are close by, so leave the car at your accommodation. If you're catching an early flight the next morning, factor that into how much you sample.
Getting to the meeting point
Brooke St Pier is at 12 Franklin Wharf, a floating pier building on Hobart's waterfront between Constitution Dock and Salamanca Place. It's also where the MONA ferry departs, so it's a well-known landmark, and it's about a 5 to 10 minute walk from the CBD. If you're staying centrally, walking is the simplest option.
If you're driving, the tour runs for more than seven hours, so plan for all-day parking. MONA's ferry guide, which uses the same pier, lists the multi-storey car parks on Argyle Street, at Centrepoint, and at Market Place, along with the Dunn Place car park, and notes that Argyle Street and Market Place are the closest, roughly a 10 to 15 minute walk away. There's also a drop-off area directly in front of the pier. If your accommodation is nearby, leaving the car there and walking or taking a taxi is easier still. Our guide to family accommodation in Hobart covers several central options.
Arrive a few minutes early so you can find the ramp and meet your guide before the 10:30am departure, since start times are fixed.
Group size and atmosphere
The tour runs with a maximum of 16 guests and a minimum of 4. That's small enough to ask questions at each stop, and move in and out of tasting rooms without the crush of a coach tour. Small-group tours like this tend to bring together couples, friends, and small parties, which makes conversation easy for anyone joining alone. The minimum of four means a departure needs enough bookings to run, so it's wise to book early rather than hoping for a last-minute seat.
What to wear and bring
The operator's advice is simple: dress for changeable weather, even if Hobart looks warm at the start. Tasmania's weather can shift during the day, and you'll step in and out of the vehicle at each venue.
- Warm layers and a light waterproof jacket
- Comfortable shoes, since you'll walk around venues and step in and out of the vehicle
- A camera or phone with a good battery
- A card for lunch and any bottles you want to buy
- A small bag to carry purchases
If you plan to buy bottles, ask the guide about the best way to carry them or have them shipped, as some producers offer shipping for interstate or overseas visitors.
Who this tour suits
Couples and friends. A shared tasting day is a fun way to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or group trip.
Travellers without a car. The operator handles all the transport, which is hard to match on public transport.
Curious tasters. If you like variety, four different kinds of producer beats a day of only one style.
Solo travellers. A small group and a guide make it easy to feel included.
Anyone who wants variety. Tasting wine, whisky, cider, and craft beer in a single day is a big part of the appeal.
It suits you less if you only care about one drink category, such as whisky alone, or if you'd rather set your own pace and stay longer at each stop. In that case, a self-drive wine day might be better. Our guide to the best wine and wineries in Tasmania explains how to plan one.
Signature Tour or a self-drive tasting day?
Both options can be great, and the right choice depends on what you value.
The Signature Tour (from $289). Tastings are included, transport is handled, you don't need a designated driver, and you have a guide who knows the venues. You gain variety across wine, whisky, cider, and beer, and you skip the logistics of bookings and parking. The trade-offs are a set itinerary, a fixed start time, and a group pace.
Self-drive. You set your own schedule and can linger where you like, and you can focus on one region, such as the Coal River Valley near Richmond. But you'll pay separate tasting fees, need a driver who stays sober, and handle bookings at each venue. It works best for a single-category trip and confident drivers. Our guide to the Coal River Valley wineries covers that route in detail.
Signature Tour or the Bruny Island food tour?
Touring Tassie also lists the Bruny Island Food, Sightseeing and Lighthouse Day Tour at $280, a different kind of food-focused day. The Signature Tour centres on drinks from four producers across southern Tasmania, while the Bruny tour combines food, scenery, and the lighthouse on the island. Check the Bruny tour page for its inclusions. If you love both, they work well on separate days, and our guides to Bruny Island oysters and the Bruny Island ferry explain how to add more to an island visit.
Fitting the tour into your Hobart trip
Because the tour starts at 10:30am and finishes around 5:30pm, it takes up most of a day. A few planning tips help:
Check availability early. The operator runs different itineraries on different days, and not every day, so look at the tour calendar first and build your other plans around it.
Avoid market days if you want both. Salamanca Market trades on Saturdays from 8:30am to 3:00pm, and the tour would clash with it, so a weekday departure lets you enjoy both on different days.
Pair it with an easier day. A tasting day is best followed by a relaxed morning. The Iron Pot Cruise, which also departs from Franklin Wharf, or the Richmond Village & Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary Tour make good companions on other days, both bookable through Touring Tassie.
Plan your evening. The tour can finish at a Hobart bar, but if you'd rather head back to your accommodation for dinner, book a table a little later than 5:30pm, since the finish time is approximate.
A three-day Hobart plan built around the tour
If you're building a short Hobart trip, here's one way to balance a tasting day with the rest. Check tour availability first, and adjust the order to match the dates you can book.
Day one: ease in on the water. Take the Iron Pot Cruise, which departs from Franklin Wharf, then walk Battery Point and enjoy a waterfront dinner. You'll be in the same part of the city the next morning.
Day two: the Drink Tasmania Signature Tour. Meet at Brooke St Pier at 10:30am, eat a proper breakfast, and settle in for a day of tastings. Plan a relaxed evening and an easy start the next morning.
Day three: history and wildlife. Try the Richmond Village & Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary Tour for a calm day of heritage and animals. Richmond sits in the Coal River Valley, so you'll also pass wine country without needing to taste again.
If your trip includes a Saturday, keep it for Salamanca Market and schedule the tasting tour on a weekday.
Making it a special occasion
The tour suits celebrations, from birthdays and anniversaries to a friends' getaway, because the format is social and the venues are memorable. The maximum group size is 16, so a party of friends can fit on a single departure if you book early enough, and larger groups can enquire with the operator about options. Let the operator know if you're marking a special occasion when you book, since they may be able to suggest ways to make the day feel special.
Best time of year
The tour works year-round, and each season adds its own appeal. Winter suits the indoor tasting rooms and cellar doors, and the operator itself describes the Signature Tour as a good choice for a cold winter's day. Autumn brings vintage season on the vineyards, and spring and summer offer milder weather for the drives between venues. Because the itinerary changes seasonally, you may find your visit differs from a friend's, which is part of the fun.
Age, dietary needs, and access
Tastings are for adults, so check the operator's age policy if you're travelling with a younger group. If you have dietary requirements, tell the operator when you book so lunch can be arranged. For mobility or access needs, ask ahead about getting in and out of the vehicle and how much walking each venue involves, since venues vary and some may have steps or uneven ground.
What travellers say about the tour
Reviews of Drink Tasmania's tours share a few themes. Guests praise knowledgeable, friendly guides and describe the venues as passionate and welcoming. Many say they enjoyed the behind-the-scenes access and the chance to talk with the people who make the drinks. Others mention that the day stays on schedule, is well organised, and feels inclusive.
One recurring note from reviewers is that different itineraries run on different days, so a tour with a particular focus may not be available on the date you have in mind. That's why checking the calendar early matters.
Before you book: a quick checklist
Confirm the following on your booking confirmation or with the operator:
- Date and availability: the tour doesn't run every day, so check the calendar, and if your preferred date isn't available, ask about other options through the tour page
- Meeting point and time: Brooke St Pier at 10:30am, at the bottom of the ramp
- Minimum numbers: departures need at least four guests to run
- What's included: all tastings, guide, and transport, with lunch paid separately
- Dietary and access needs: tell the operator in advance
- Age policy and cancellation terms: read the details shown at booking
Common mistakes to avoid
- Skipping breakfast. Tastings start soon after 10:30am, so eat first.
- Booking an evening event too close to the 5:30pm finish. The finish time is approximate.
- Assuming a specific venue is guaranteed. The itinerary varies, so book for the experience rather than one producer.
- Leaving it late. Small groups and a four-guest minimum mean popular dates fill or need enough bookings.
- Forgetting a jacket. Tasmanian weather changes, and tasting rooms can be cool.
- Not budgeting for lunch and bottles. Both are extra.
FAQ
How long is the Drink Tasmania Signature Tour?
Approximately 7.5 to 8 hours, from a 10:30am start to approximately 5:30pm.
Where does the tour start?
At Brooke St Pier on Franklin Wharf, Hobart. You meet your guide at the bottom of the ramp, or enter through the glass doors if it's raining.
How much does the tour cost?
From $289 through Touring Tassie. Lunch and any bottle purchases are extra.
What's included in the price?
Up to four guided tastings, a guide, and transport between venues. Lunch isn't included.
How many venues do we visit?
Four premium venues showcasing wine, whisky, cider, and craft beer, with up to four guided tastings during the day.
Which venues will we visit?
It depends on the day and season. The tour listing names Home Hill, Pagan Cider, Kate Hill, Willie Smith's, Cascade Brewery Bar, Sullivans Cove, Spring Bay Distillery, Callington Mill (Hobart), and Battery Point Distillery as locations it may include.
How much is lunch?
Lunch is bought on the day. The listing says menus typically range from $20 to $60.
Do I need a designated driver?
No. Transport between venues is handled for you, so everyone can taste.
How big is the group?
A maximum of 16 guests and a minimum of 4.
Does the tour run every day?
No. Different itineraries run on different days, and not on every day, so check the tour calendar for available dates.
Where does the tour finish?
Around 5:30pm at Brooke St Pier, with the option of a drop-off at one of Hobart's bars or the waterfront. The finish time is approximate.
What should I wear?
Warm layers, a light waterproof jacket, and comfortable shoes, since Tasmanian weather can change during the day.
Can I do this tour on a Saturday and still visit Salamanca Market?
The tour runs from 10:30am to about 5:30pm, while Salamanca Market trades from 8:30am to 3:00pm, so the two overlap. A weekday tour lets you do both on different days.
Is this tour good for solo travellers?
Yes. The small group and guide make it a comfortable way to meet people, and you don't need to organise transport.
The bottom line
If you want to taste the best of Tasmania's wine, cider, beer, and spirits without hiring a car or nominating a driver, this tour makes it easy. You get four premium venues, guided tastings, a guide who knows the venues, and a relaxed day that starts and finishes on the Hobart waterfront. Check the calendar, book early, and bring your appetite.
Ready to book? Reserve the Drink Tasmania Signature Tour, and pair it with the Iron Pot Cruise or the Richmond Village & Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary Tour on other days, all bookable through Touring Tassie.
