Corio 5 Star 5 Year Old Australian Whisky (750ml)

Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product pictured. This one, in particular, has some label damage consistent with its age.

An Australian Museum piece.

Corio, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria, gave name to a distillery and a whisky, during a time when there was a worldwide shortage of Scotch whisky. The distillery was built with a harbor frontage and good access to rail, essential for the efficient national distribution of the new product.

Corio seems to have had a period of success in the late 1940's through to the 1960's, with a series of advertisements proudly proclaiming their status as Australia's Champion Whisky, following several trophy wins at various agricultural shows around the country. We are unable to establish what, if anything, was competing against Corio in these competitions. Based on remarks from people who remember the product, chances are, there wasn't any competition of note.

Corio suffered a fate similar to many of Scotland's distilleries in the early 1980s, closing following massive financial losses. Bottles of Corio's whisky are nowadays very rare and virtually unprocurable. The brand marks a watershed in Australian whisky history.