OTHER GIN DISTILLERS
With gin distilleries setting up all over regional Australia, we looked at 10 and some of the gins they produce (below, from left):
HURDLE CREEK STILL
Visitors are welcome at The Stillhouse, the rustic converted farm shed near Milawa in Victoria’s King Valley. Here four gins are produced, including one made using only locally grown juniper. 216 Whoroulybobinawarrah Road, Bobinawarrah, Victoria, 0411 156 773, 0427 331 145, hurdlecreekstill.com.au
DISTILLERY BOTANICA
Walk through the one-hectare Fragrant Garden, where botanicals for the gins are grown by herbalist and distiller Philip Moore, to reach the tasting area of this distillery. 25 Portsmouth Road, Erina, NSW, (02) 4365 3968, distillerybotanica.com
FOUR PILLARS
Healesville-based Four Pillars has been awarded the 2019 International Gin Producer of the Year at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in London. Now collaborating with distilleries in Sweden and Japan, and offering seasonal releases, its range includes 12 gins. 2a Lilydale Road, Healesville, Victoria, (03) 5962 2791, fourpillarsgin.com.au
APPLEWOOD
Tucked away in the Adelaide Hills, this distillery produces limitedrelease, small-batch gins, some with a hero indigenous botanical, such as strawbery gum, Geraldton wax and samphire. The core gin contains desert limes, wattleseed and peppermint gum. 24 Victoria Street, Gumeracha, SA, (08) 8389 1250, applewooddistillery.com.au
HARTSHORN
This small distillery 40 minutes south of Hobart in Tasmania produces sheep whey gin — the first distillery in the world to do so. Distiller Ryan Hartshorn uses the sheep whey leftover from the cheese his mother, Diane Rae, makes on their 32-hectare property. The result is a smooth, unique gin sold.
(03) 6267 4099, 0416 289 786, grandewe.com.au
MARGARET RIVER DISTILLING CO
Surrounded by peppermint trees in the picturesque Margaret River, this distiller is crafting unique gins under its Giniversity label. The Botanical is infused with sandalwood, boronia, lemon myrtle and eucalypt. Maxwell Street (off Carters Road), Margaret River, WA, (08) 9757 9351, distillery.com.au/giniversity
LAWRENNY
On the banks on the pristine Derwent River in Tasmania is historic Lawrenny Estate, built in 1818. It is now home to an artisan gin distillery producing three gins, including Van Dieman’s Gin, which won a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. 6485 Lyell Highway, Ouse, Tasmania, 0438 966 020, lawrenny.com
OLD YOUNG’S
Bottling four gins at their distillery in WA’S Swan Valley, the Six Seasons Gin is a tribute to the local indigenous Noongar people and includes native desert lime, lemon myrtle, juniper myrtle, bush mint, sea parsley and thryptomene. 10581C West Swan Road, Henley Brook, WA, (08) 9296 6656, oldyoungs.com.au
TWENTY THIRD STREET DISTILLERY
The multi-award-winning Signature Gin is one of three gins produced at Renmark, South Australia, in a modernised distillery that was originally built by Chateau Tanunda in 1914. They offer a range of tours and experiences. Corner Renmark Avenue and Twenty Third Street, Renmark,
SA, (08) 8586 8500, 23rdstreetdistillery.com.au
NEVER NEVER DISTILLING CO
Three mates produce four juniper-forward gins at their distillery in South Australia. Their Southern Strength Gin recently won Best Gin of Show at the Australian Gin Awards in Sydney, but our favourite is the Triple Juniper Gin. 0424 446 737, neverneverdistilling.com.au
“Gin should showcase the landscape and the region from where it comes...”