History
Our history begins in a small alpine village in the Italian Dolomites where my family have lived for over 500 years…
It is in the Dolomites that our family tradition of working with our hands has its origins. Stagninos (tinsmiths) were craftsmen who made and repaired copper pots and pans. They would walk the snow-capped alps with an emporium of tools strapped to their back to carry out their work. Valentino Zannantonio Martin was one of those men and this is his story.
Valentino was just a 13-year-old boy when the Germans invaded his village in WW1. Miraculously he managed to escape capture and his certain death. Ten years later, in 1927, he jumped at the chance to come to the “lucky country” and make this land his new home. Leaving Casamazzagno and his pregnant wife behind he travelled to the other side of the world to the remote Simpson desert of Central Australia.
The Stillmaker
Valentino Zannantonio Martin (far right) building the Old Ghan Railway Line
Source: South Australian Library
For two long years, Valentino endured hot days and lonely nights, bush flies and red dust building the Old Ghan Railway Line from Port Augusta to Alice Springs.
Valentino may have been a man of small stature but his sense of adventure and determination was huge. He knew that Australia was a place where through hard work a man could make a good life for his family.
In the early 1930s Valentino set up a workshop in McCormac Place, Melbourne, a seedy area of undesirable notoriety. Times were tough and this was the best that he could afford. However, his superior reputation for craftsmanship exceeded the impoverished setting of his Carlton workshop.
Iconic Melbourne restaurants including Florentino and the Victoria Coffee Palace recognised his skills and were regular customers. Valentino was also known to make the “odd still or two” and it was these skills that were “very useful” to Italian migrants distilling bootleg grappa. It was the era of the Great Depression and bootleg alcohol was barter currency.
Coffee percolator handcrafted by Valentino C1953
Valentino is ‘The Stillmaker’ and I am proud to call him my Nonno, my grandfather.
Our distillery is dedicated to Valentino in recognition of his craftsmanship, his strong character and gentle heart.
Just like my Nonno, we are artisans who have a passion for making exceptional whisky.
The Stillmaker’s Sons
Following in Valentino’s footsteps, my Dad and his brothers were all tradesmen with gifted hands and that same entrepreneurial spirit. Blessed with a heart for big ideas, they weren’t afraid to take a risk and ‘have a go’ too.
It was tough for my Dad Elio, growing up in Melbourne during WWII as the son of Italian migrants. Like most men of his generation, he didn't have a lot to say about his personal life. It was the things that we shared that spoke to me the most. We shared a love of the outdoors, camping, and a dream of owning a farm.
Some of my happiest moments with my Dad were spent sharing a whisky by the campfire.
The Stillmaker’s Grandson
When Sandy and I met she was still in high school and I was a first-year electrical apprentice. We were just a couple of teenagers but we knew in those early days that we were destined to be together.
We’ve been in business for 40 years and have experienced the highs and lows of small business ownership. I’m a big picture man just like my dad & Nonno. While I have the dreams, it’s Sandy’s job to keep them real! She manages the small details and together we bring them to life. We’ve always been a good combination and never more so than in creating our own bespoke Australian Single Malt Whisky distillery.
In 2021, to mark the occasion of our Ruby (40th) wedding anniversary we filled one of our beautiful Ruby Port/Rum casks. It will be a very special day when we bottle this release.
Now, I am a grandfather with a wonderful family and I'm realising my dream of bringing my family's traditions to life.
- Michael Zannantonio Martin, Whisky Maker
