Australia’s Best Value Single Malt Whisky Under $100? Meet FORGE.
Chief’s Son Distillery, Mornington Peninsula
There’s a persistent myth that good single malt whisky has to cost a fortune.
FORGE Single Malt whisky is here to put that to rest.
Crafted at Chief’s Son Distillery in Somerville on the Mornington Peninsula — one of Australia’s largest family-owned distilleries and the only single malt whisky distillery on the Peninsula — FORGE Single Malt Whisky is priced at $96. And it just won Gold at the 2026 Australian International Spirits Awards at the Royal Melbourne Show.
That’s not a coincidence. That’s a distillery doing what it’s always done: making world-class whisky that doesn’t ask you to remortgage the house to enjoy it.
What is FORGE Single Malt Whisky?
FORGE is Chief’s Son’s smooth, approachable expression, designed to be the whisky that brings people in, without compromising on what makes a great single malt.
Aged in second-fill French oak on the Mornington Peninsula, it’s smooth, balanced, and unmistakably Chief’s Son. There’s warmth without heat. Complexity without pretension. It’s the bottle you hand to someone who thinks whisky isn’t for them.
It always changes their mind.
Gold Medal — 2026 Australian International Spirits Awards
Winning Gold at the Australian International Spirits Awards at the Royal Melbourne Show is no small thing. It’s one of the most credible spirits competitions in the country, judged blind by industry professionals against hundreds of entries.
FORGE took Gold. At $96 a bottle.
For context: many of the whiskies competing in the same category cost significantly more. FORGE proves you don’t need to spend big to drink well — you just need to know where to look.
How to drink FORGE
FORGE is versatile enough to enjoy however you like your whisky:
Neat — Pour a small measure, let it breathe for a minute, and drink it as it is. The French oak aging gives it a natural softness that makes it easy to appreciate without ice or water.
Over a large ice cube — One cube opens up the flavour gently without diluting it too quickly.
In a simple highball — FORGE + good quality ginger ale + a slice of lemon. Approachable, refreshing, and a great introduction for someone new to whisky.
As a gift — At $96 with a gold medal behind it, FORGE is one of the best whisky gifts you can buy in Australia right now. It looks premium. It drinks premium. And it doesn’t feel like you’ve overdone it.
Where to buy FORGE
FORGE Single Malt Whisky is available online at chiefsson.com.au with free shipping on orders over $200, and at Chief’s Son Distillery door in Somerville, Mornington Peninsula — just 40 minutes from Melbourne CBD.
If you haven’t visited Chief’s Son, the distillery door opens, Monday – Saturday with whisky tours running on Saturdays at 11am. You’ll get a guided tour of the distillery with our Head Distiller Stuart, four single malt tastings, and your own 100ml barrel-fill bottle to take home.
FORGE is always on the tasting menu.
Shop FORGE → Book a cellar door tour →
Chief’s Son Distillery | Somerville, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria Open Monday – Saturday and tours running at 11am | chiefsson.com.au