Seppeltsfield Road Distillers
I first met Nicole Durdin from Seppeltsfield Road Distillers early last year when she was refining her gin recipes.
How did the professional horn-player and former Police officer get into gin distilling? In 2015, her husband Jon was seconded to the UK for work and Nicole went too. She had recently taken early retirement after a ten-year career in the Police force. Owing to visa restrictions Nicole wasn’t allowed to work and set about filling her time immersing herself in the UK gin scene.
Nicole and Jon decided that they wanted to open a distillery and cellar door upon their return to Australia, and settled on the Barossa Valley. Nicole’s family has four generations that have been involved in the wine industry, so it seemed like a natural place to build.
And build they did. Inspired by the TV show, Grand Designs, the cellar door and still room was built using shipping containers, as featured in one of the shows episodes.
It was heartwarming to see their hard work celebrated with a visit from the Australian Distillers Conference delegates in November.
Seppeltsfield Road Distillers Gins
Nicole didn’t intend to release three gins, but during the experimentation phase, came up with a few recipes that she really liked. These were refined to the three that were released.
Being based in the Barossa Valley, using grape based spirit from Tarac Industries was a natural choice. Nicole wasn’t fixed on using native botanicals, instead, she wanted to use ingredients that grow locally. Pink peppercorns and lavender are both picked from nearby sources.
Barossa Dry Gin ($66 500ml) ABV 41.5%
This featured in my Top 10 Australian Gins of 2018. It’s gin just how I like it. Classic, with plenty of juniper and coriander, with hints of pink peppercorns. Makes a fresh gin and tonic and a superb martini!
House Gin ($66 500ml) ABV 41.5%
Nicole describes this as her ‘modern’ gin. It has less of a juniper focus, (but it’s still definitely gin) and includes chamomile, lavender and cornflower.
Savoury Allsorts ($66 500ml) ABV 41.5%
One for all your herbaceous gin lovers! Thyme, marjoram, borage, and gentian and star anise are distilled alongside juniper to create a delightfully savoury gin.
Nicole and Jon have great attention to detail and the quality of the gins and the beautiful cellar door are a testament to their hard work.
Seppeltsfield Road Distillers is open to visitors Seppeltsfield Rd Distillers is open 11 am – 5 pm Thursday, Sunday and Monday, and 11 am – 6 pm Friday and Saturday. For more information, head to their website.
Tasmanian Distillery Tour
For this year’s Tasmanian Distillery tour, you’ll be visiting not one, not two, but THREE different distilleries over the day, enjoying tasters and gin and tonics at each one, before a special evening at Shene Distillery.
First stop is Spring Bay Distillery where a shared love of whisky and gin lead husband and wife team, Suzy and Cam to build their own distillery.
This beautiful beach is only 550m from the distillery!
We’ll enjoy a tour of the distillery, learn about Spring Bay gin and enjoy a light lunch before departing for:
We’ll be meeting second generation distiller Kristy Booth-Lark (her dad is Bill, the renowned Godfather of Australian Distilling) and enjoying a Apothecary Gin and Tonic while we take a tour of the distillery. Kristy has been distilling since she was 17 and has a wealth of knowledge to share!
We’ll then be heading off to our final destination:
Shene Estate is the home of Poltergeist gin and during your tour you’ll certainly be hearing lots about the intriguing history that lead the team to give their gin such a ghostly name.
We’ll enjoy a tour, guided tasting and have time to unwind before enjoying a rustic, outdoor barbecue style meal together, with a few more tipples of course!
Itinerary
10am Depart from Hobart wharf (where the ferries are)
11am Arrive Spring Bay Distillery, enjoy a G&T and a light lunch
1pm Depart from Spring Bay
2pm Arrive at Killara Distillery
3.30pm Depart from Killara
4.00pm Arrive at Shene Estate
8.30pm Depart from Shene
9.00pm Final drop off Hobart Wharf.
What’s included in the ticket price
Transport from Hobart to each distillery and return, G&T and tasters at each distillery, light lunch at Spring Bay Distillery, rustic outdoor Barbecue meal at Shene Estate. (Limited Dietary options available)
What’s not included
Flights to Hobart/Accommodation
Terms and Conditions
Over 18’s only
No refunds
Top 10 Australian Gins 2018
2018 was another massive year for Australian gin lovers, with more distilleries to visit and more gins to try. It’s been exciting to watch the Australian gin distilling industry going from strength to strength, winning medals overseas and pushing our status as gin producing country to watch.
Picking my Top 10 Australian gins 2018 was SO DIFFICULT! There were so many good gins that enjoyed this year, it was really hard to get it down to just 10. I’ve picked gins that I consider well-made, well-balanced and that work in a variety of cocktails. Obviously, all lists are subjective, these are just my favourites, I am sure you have your own!
Melbourne Moonshine ‘Memo’ gin
Andrew and Ben, the team behind Melbourne Moonshine resisted making gin for many years, instead focusing on their producing their popular moonshines and laying down whisky. The boys readily admit that they were taken aback by the success of Australian gins, so decided to have a go. After a successful Cascara (the dried husk of the coffee cherry) moonshine collaboration with Campos coffee, they decided to use cascara as one the key botanicals, alongside other traditional gin ingredients (no Australian natives in this one).
The result is, in their words, a no-gimmicks gin. It’s well balanced, with plenty of juniper on the nose and palate, and a hint of sweetness on the finish.
ABV 41.8%
RRP: $70
Follow Melbourne Moonshine on Facebook and Instagram
Seppeltsfield Road Distillers ‘Barossa Dry’
Distiller Nicole is a former police officer and professional horn player. While on secondment to the UK with her husband Jon for his job, she was caught up in the gin renaissance and they hatched a plan open a gin distillery in the Barossa Valley.
There are three gins in the range, House gin, Barossa Dry, and Savoury Allsorts.
They are all grape-based spirit gins, well made, with beautiful flavours, but I especially liked Barossa dry. Full of juniper and coriander, it’s a classic martini gin, and also features one of favourite botanicals, pink peppercorns.
ABV 41.5%
RRP $66 (500ml)
Follow Seppeltsfield Road Distillers on Facebook and Instagram
Brogan’s Way Every Day Salvation
Head Distiller at Brogan’s Way Distillery, Brogan Carr is one to watch. The former medical laboratory scientist has recently completed the much-lauded Heriot Watt University MSc in Brewing and Distilling. The three gins she launched at the opening of the distillery (in partnership with her dad, Simon) were submitted as part of her thesis.
All three are designed to appeal to different gin drinkers.
Evening Light is a fresh and fruity gin, made with fresh mangos and raspberries and organic white grapefruit juice alongside more traditional botanicals. Brogan says this is her easy drinking gin.
Royal Blood is Brogan’s navy strength gin. Made with cardamom,rosemary, bay leaf, Australian sea parsley, saltbush and roasted wattle seed , at 57.2% it has a bit of a kick!
Every Day Salvation is a classic dry style with strawberry gum, cinnamon myrtle and native pepper berries to give it a distinctly Australian flavour.
For me, it was a dead heat between Royal Blood and Every Day Salvation, as my favourite, but in the end I picked the Every Day Salvation. It’s a classic dry gin, with subtle use of Australian botanicals that don’t overpower the juniper backbone.
ABV 42%
RRP $84
Follow Brogan’s Way Distillery on Facebook and Instagram
78 Degrees Sunset gin
Most pink gins I’ve tried either cloying or taste so artificial that it was hard for me to discern whether it really was gin. So, in conclusion, I’m not a fan.
When I heard that Sacha from Adelaide Hills Distillery was releasing a pink gin, I’ll admit my shoulders sagged a little. However, knowing Sacha’s ability to create show-stopping gins – (Green Ant gin was in my Top 10 of 2017) I hoped that I thought that this could be a pink gin I could get behind.
How right I was. Another masterpiece in “less is more” when using Australian native botanicals, Sunset gin has 78 degrees gin as the base and Sacha has added bush apple, strawberry gum and rosella.
On the nose it’s full of bright berry notes which contrasts beautifully with the flavour which is dry and herbaceous. It’s fabulous in a gin and tonic but I’d also recommend adding some prosecco and strawberries to create a fabulous spritz!
ABV 42%
RRP $80
Follow Adelaide Hills Distillery on Facebook and Instagram
Kalki Moon Navy Strength
Distiller Rick Prosser and his wife Kylie have worked tirelessly since opening their distillery to prove that there is more to Bundaberg than rum!
Their gins Classic and Premium gins have won quite a few medals this year, so I was excited to learn from Rick at Junipalooza that a Navy Strength gin was coming. Long time readers will know that I love a high-proof gin. It’s not because it’s boozier!The higher the proof, the more intense the flavour which makes it better in cocktails
It’s a skill to create a high-proof gin that doesn’t blow your head off, or overwhelm your palate. I always taste gins neat when doing a tasting and I was impressed at the smoothness of this gin, in spite of its ABV. It’s everything a good Navy Strength should be: packed with juniper, bold and with a great lengthy finish.
If you like your gin and tonic with a bit of a kick, this is the gin for you!
ABV 57%
RRP $100 approx
Follow Kalki Moon Distillery on Facebook and Instagram
Tiny Bear Distillery ‘The Gypsy’
Tiny Bear Distillery caught my eye this year with their unusual name and the unique branding of their 3 gins. I headed off to the distillery recently and was surprised to learn that they are making their base spirit from kale. Kale! Their 3 gins, ‘The Doctor’, ‘The Sailor’ and ‘The Gypsy’ are all 100% vapour-infused and have a different flavour profile and story behind them.
‘The Gypsy’ is my favourite of the three. The recipe has juniper, six different peppers, cardamom, cumin, clove, lemon lime and cucumber. Damien has managed the bold botanicals well – clove in particular can quickly overpower. The result is a bold, spicy gin, with the peppers lifting the juniper to create a nuanced gin that suits a variety of cocktails. Definitely one to seek out.
ABV 43%
RRP $77
Follow Tiny Bear Distillery on Facebook and Instagram
Imbue Distillery Suburban Gin
Suburban gin is one of the most intriguing releases of 2018, partly due to the botanicals used. Mel and Mick, the couple behind Imbue have gathered features dandelion, prickly pear, blackberry and fennel, from the suburb where they live (hence the name)
There is lots of juniper which pleases the purist in me, but there is warmth and a little grassiness from the fennel . The gin become more delicate when mixed, with subtle melon notes from the prickly pear. I would love to see a higher proof version at some point!
ABV 40%
RRP $80
Follow Imbue Distillery on Facebook and Instagram
Ambleside Distillers Big Dry Gin
All three Ambleside Distillers gins are really tasty, however, my favourite of the three was the Big Dry gin.
Aside from juniper berries, distiller Matt has incorporated jalapeño peppers, kaffir lime leaf, thyme, rosemary, and coriander seed. There is lots of juniper on the nose, with citrus from the coriander and kaffir lime also noticeable. The fresh, piney flavour develops into herbal notes , but it’s also fresh and grassy which I put down to the jalapeño pepper. Matt has skillfully captured the freshness of the pepper without the heat.
ABV 42%
RRP $85
Follow Ambleside Distillers on Facebook and Instagram
Melbourne Gin Company ‘Single Shot’
Melbourne Gin Company launched in 2013, at the very beginning of the current Australian gin craze. Distiller, Andrew Marks has a long and successful career in wine-making, giving him an incredible palate, perfect to make gin.
Long-time readers will know that I’m a huge fan of Melbourne Gin Company Dry gin, it’s my go-to in a martini. Andrew uses fractional distilling, meaning all the botanicals were distilled separately before he blends them together, making the most of his wine-making skills. It’s won many awards and since it’s release many have been waiting patiently for Andrew to release another gin.
All I can say is it was worth the wait! ‘Single Shot’, as the name suggests, is made using the one-shot method of distillation, meaning all the botanicals are put in the pot at the same time and distilled together.
It has seven botanicals; juniper, orange peel, angelica, Australian bergamot, cardamom pods, Tasmania Leatherwood honey and lavender. It’s a beautifully balanced fresh, bright, savoury gin. The flavour completely fills the mouth, has great feel and a great, lengthy finish. If I thought the original Melbourne Gin Company gin was the best martini gin, I’m now torn between the two!
Before it was released Andrew sent Single Shot off to various competitions, just to see if he was on the right track. He need not have worried! It picked up Double Gold at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Awards, Gin Master at the 2018 Gin Masters Awards London, and a Gold Medal at the 2018 World Gin Masters – Asia (Hong Kong), making it the most awarded gin that no-one (save the judges) had tasted.
This is my Gin of 2018.
ABV 47.4%
RRP $105
Follow Melbourne Gin Company on Facebook and Instagram
Patient Wolf ‘Summer Thyme’
The boys from Brunswick have firmly positioned themselves as one of Melbourne’s best-loved gins and have gained a new legion of fans with the release of Summer Thyme gin, which they launched at Junipalooza in October.
Lemon and thyme have been vapour-infused to retain maximum flavour. The other botanicals, juniper, coriander, tonic beans, green cardamom, angelica, orris and cubeb are distilled all our together in the pot. The result is a bright, fresh gin and the team have nailed the summer gin brief!
ABV 41.5%
RRP $90
Follow Patient Wolf on Facebook and Instagram.
Please note I have not received payment from the distilleries featured to include their gins. I may have received their product to review, but this does not affect my opinion.
The Gin Queen is 5!
Woo weeee, I can’t believe it! The Gin Queen is 5! I started this little space to share my love of gin and to offer up ideas on how to drink it, other than in a G&T.
When I began this venture back in 2013, the gin wave was building and there were only around 6 Australian gins available, including West Winds, Stone Pine Distillery, Distillery Botanica and Mount Uncle. Now look!
I could not have foreseen the amazing experiences this little website has brought me.
From meeting gin-lovers from all over Australia, to spending time with talented and supportive distillers, hosting dinners, tours, masterclasses, gin and cheese tastings emcee’ing award ceremonies and judging them too! I am super-proud of the success that is Junipalooza Melbourne and am grateful that I get to work with the Gin Foundry team on this incredible event.
It’s been quite a ride and one I intend to keep driving as we see the Australian distilling industry thrive!
I want to thank every single one of you who has read, shared, and commented on my posts here, and on social media, or sent me a question, or come to one of my events.
YOU are the reason I’m celebrating 5 years!
To that end, and as a fitting way to round off the 12 Days of Gin-Mas, I’m offering up one last giveaway for ONE lucky reader.
The prize contains:
Stone Pine Distillery Decade Gin.
Ian set up Stone Pine Distillery 10 years ago! Ian has created this special gin as a memento of his incredible achievement as a stalwart of the Australian Distilling industry.
As with Ian’s other gins this is a juniper forward, classic dry style gin with traditional botanicals blended with natives, it features juniper, lemon myrtle, saltbush, orris, coriander, angelica, licorice, finger lime, black pepper and ironbark.
Melbourne Gin Company’s Single Shot gin.
Possibly the most anticipated gin the year. Since launching Melbourne Gin Company in 2013, we’ve waited with bated breath to see if Andrew Marks would release another gin. Not one to rush the process – he’s a perfectionist, after all – Andrew settled on this Single Shot gin with a completely new recipe. Even before officially launching this month, Single Shot was already awarded a prestigious Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Awards.
Brogan’s Way Royal Blood Navy Strength gin
Brogan’s Way Distillery opened a couple of month’s ago and I am really impressed with distiller Brogan Carr’s work. She’s one of the few distillers in Australia to have completed the prestigious Heriot-Watt University MSc. in Brewing and Distilling, and making the three different Brogan’s Way gins was part of her thesis.
Royal Blood has a bit of a kick – well at 57.2% ABV, what would you expect? Herbal aromas and flavours from the rosemary and bay leaf are seasoned with Australian sea parsley, saltbush and roasted wattle seed giving plenty of good mouthfeel.
Farmer’s Wife gin
Kylie Sepos is the brains behind this gin. The distillery is based on the family farm in Ellsworth, New South Wales and Kylie has incorporated a mix of traditional and native botanicals, including anise myrtle, lemon myrtle and native sage to create her gin.
Aviation gin (Ryan Reynolds not included)
Aviation gin was the first gin in the what was once called ‘New World’ category. We now refer to this style of gins as ‘contemporary’. It’s made with juniper,cardamom, coriander, French lavender, anise seed, sarsaparilla, juniper, and two kinds of orange peel.
What sets it apart is (in the distiller’s words) a democratic use of botanicals, meaning that juniper is not dominant and that a more even weight is given to each one.
Demeter Gin & Tonic Cologne
Tatty Devine Gilbert and George Gin Necklace
Love and Victory pins
One each of the fabulous Love and Victory cocktail pins!
THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED.
T&Cs
Open to Australian, UK and NZ residents only.
Winner will be selected by me by Friday 14th December
Only one entry per person – and yes I do check!
Over 18s only.
Eleventh Day of Gin-Mas
The penultimate day (sad face) of the 12 Days of Gin-Mas, which gin will you choose? The Eleventh Day of Gin-Mas is here!
Jensens gin
This is a delicate, smooth and pure London distilled dry gin, made only with the botanicals that were utilised in London during the early to mid-20th century. Less juniper-centric than many contemporary gins, Jensens gin showcases a range of classic, savoury and aromatic gin botanicals like orris, liquorice root, angelica seed and acacia.
Follow Jensens on Facebook
Imbue Distillery Suburban Gin
Founders of Imbue Distillery, Mel and Mick Sheard share 30 years experience in Melbourne’s food industry from retail to wholesale, bakeries, catering & hatted restaurants.
Now they’ve turned their attention to gin, enjoying pushing the boundaries on flavour. Suburban gin is made using botanicals from the suburb where they live and includes blackberry, fennel, dandelion and prickly pear.
Follow Imbue Distillery on Facebook and Instagram.
Red Hen Gin
The three Vallelonga brothers and their best mate Luke, set up Red Hen Distilling in 2016 and won the Champion Small Batch Gin Award at the Australian Distilled Spirits Award within a month.
Native muntrie berries, local citrus and peppercorn give this gin a bright, vibrant flavour.
Follow Red Hen gin on Facebook and Instagram.
Manly Coastal Citrus
Plenty of citrus in this gin to boost your gin and tonic, including lemon aspen, sea parsley, lemon myrtle, fresh coriander leaf, and meyer lemon.
Follow Manly Spirits on Facebook and Instagram.
Seppeltsfield Road Distillers House gin
A modern gin with layers of fresh citrus. Features chamomile,locally grown lavender and cornflower.
Follow Seppeltsfield Road Distillers on Facebook and Instagram.
Farmer’s Wife Autumn Dry gin
Kylie Sepos is the brains behind this gin. The distillery is based on the family farm in Ellsworth, New South Wales and Kylie has incorporated a mix of traditional and native botanicals, including anise myrtle, lemon myrtle and native sage to create her gin.
Follow Farmer’s Wife Distillery on Facebook and Instagram.
Reed & Co. Distilling Remedy gin
Created by two chefs, Hamish and Rachel, Remedy gin is all about flavour. Wild & native botanicals result in a distinctively Australian Gin. Pronounced Juniper, eucalyptus, pine and followed by a rounded finish of green tea, shiso & honey.
Follow Reed & Co. Distilling on Facebook and Instagram.
Lawrenny Distilling Van Diemen’s gin
Using botanicals grown within Lawrenny’s own orchard, including strawberries,almonds, and lime flowers. The fruity notes and fresh herbal fragrances combine leaving you with a lingering finish.
Follow Lawrenny on Facebook and Instagram.
Anther gin
Created by husband and wife team, Derv and Sebastian in the heart of Melbourne (their distillery is at Craft & Co.), Anther gin was crowned Champion Small gin at this year’s Australian Distilled Spirits Awards.
It’s a traditional London dry style gin, with juniper at the fore, complemented by Australian native botanicals.
Follow Anther gin on Facebook and Instagram.
Kalki Moon Classic Gin
Kalki Moom Classic is a traditional London dry style gin with juniper, coriander, angelica root, cardamom and lemon myrtle.
Follow Kalki Moon Distillery gin on Facebook and Instagram.
Animus Ambrosian Gin
Utilising the bold flavours of mandarin, kaffir lime and white sesame, along with fresh tumeric, galangal and ginger, Animus Ambrosian is a bold gin rich with both Australian and South East Asian influences.
Follow Animus Distillery on Facebook and Instagram.
WIN ONE OF ELEVEN BOTTLES OF GIN!*
*Choose from Lawrenny, Jensens, Ambleside, Kalki Moon, Manly, Anther, Remedy Gin, Imbue, Animus, Farmer’s Wife or Red Hen on your entry form
Terms and Conditions
Entrants must be over 18
Open to UK, Australian and NZ residents only
One entry per applicant
Closing date is midnight (AEST) on 11th December 2018
Tenth Day of Gin-Mas
Ten gin bottles, waiting to be won, ten gin bottles waiting to be won. The Tenth Day of Gin-Mas is here! How are you going to choose just one?
Death’s Door gin
Death’s Door Gin has a surprisingly simple botanical mix of juniper berries, coriander and fennel. They use their vodka as the base spirit which includes hard red winter wheat, corn and malted barley and employ a vapor extraction process to create a London Dry style gin.
Proving that sometimes less is more on the botanical front, Death’s Door is an excellent gin, however you choose to drink it.
Follow Death’s Door Spirits on Facebook and Instagram.
Kalki Moon Premium gin
Founded by former Bundaberg Rum Master Distiller Rick Prosser, Kalki Moon offers a range of gin, vodka and liqueurs. Their premium gin is a London Dry style and was awarded Gold at the prestigious Australian Distilled Spirits Awards 2018 and Silver at the International Wine & Spirits Competition.
Follow Kalki Moon on Facebook and Instagram.
Red Hen Gin
The three Vallelonga brothers and their best mate Luke, set up Red Hen Distilling in 2016 and won the Champion Small Batch Gin Award at the Australian Distilled Spirits Award within a month.
Native muntrie berries, local citrus and peppercorn give this gin a bright, vibrant flavour.
Follow Red Hen gin on Facebook and Instagram.
Poor Toms Sydney Dry gin
School fiends Jesse and Griff, one an accountant, the other an actor, stepped into the world of gin distilling as a way of escaping their current jobs. The pair’s first gin, Sydney Dry is a spectacular effort made using freshly pressed granny smith apples, chamomile flowers and strawberry gum leaf. If you love light floral numbers, this is the one for you. Their cheeky label raises a smile too!
Follow Poor Toms on Facebook and Instagram.
Seppeltsfield Road Distillers Barossa Dry gin
Head Distiller, Nicole Durdin hit upon the idea of making gin while seconded to the UK with her husband Jon’s job. Unable to work due to visa restrictions, she spent her time wisely researching the emerging gin boom there. When they returned to Australian, planning began for the own distillery.
Set in the heart of the Barossa, Seppeltsfield Road Distillers is a spectacular distillery and cellar door. Nicole makes three different gins (keep your eyes peeled for the others appearing in the 12 Days of Gin-Mas) and Barossa Dry is their classic dry-style gin with clean juniper and coriander notes, and hints of pink peppercorns harvested from the Western Ridge of the Barossa Valley.
Follow Seppeltsfield Road Distillers on Facebook and Instagram.
Deep South Distillery Cape Dry gin
Deep South Distillery is on the most southerly point of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. It only opened a year ago, but is already gaining a strong reputation. Cape Dry is a classic juniper forward gin, enhanced with selected Cape botanicals.
Follow Deep South Distillery on Facebook and Instagram.
Tiny Bear Distillery ‘The Gyspy’ gin
Damien and Manda have created ‘The Gypsy’ to appeal those of us who like our gins spicy. It’s made with six different peppers, cardomon, cumin, clove, lemon, lime and cucumber.
Follow Tiny Bear Distillery on Facebook and Instagram.
Lawrenny Distilling Van Diemen’s gin
Van Diemen’s Gin is infused with a blend of traditional and progressive botanicals cut to strength using the pure waters of the River Derwent. It is wonderfully balanced combination of bold juniper, refined herbal notes and fresh citrus.
Follow Lawrenny on Facebook and Instagram.
Animus Distillery Macedon dry gin
This gin pays homage the classic style gins, but has a unique twist and intensity provided by the use of Australian native lemon myrtle and mountain pepper berry. At 50% ABV it stands up well in a G&T!
Follow Animus Distillery on Facebook and Instagram.
McHenry Distillery Christmas gin
This special, limited edition Christmas gin is made with Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh and is guaranteed to get you in the festive mood,
Follow McHenry Distillery on Facebook and Instagram.
THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED
Terms and Conditions
Entrants must be over 18
Open to UK, Australian and NZ residents only
One entry per applicant
Closing date is midnight (AEST) on 10th December 2018
Ninth Day of Gin-Mas
The Ninth Day of Gin-Mas is here!
Hernö Old Tom gin
Hernö gin, from Sweden is one of the World’s most awarded gin, winning the World Gin Awards ‘Best Gin’ in 2017 and 2018. Hernö gins are made using a Carl still and alongside plenty of juniper they use organic locally foraged botanicals and then cut the gin with some of the purest water in the world.
Their Old Tom gin is a sweet style gin and is one of the best examples of this style . It’s great in a Gin old-fashioned, or a Martinez cocktail.
Follow Hernö on Facebook and Instagram.
Imbue Distillery Suburban Gin
Founders of Imbue Distillery, Mel and Mick Sheard share 30 years experience in Melbourne’s food industry from retail to wholesale, bakeries, catering & hatted restaurants.
Now they’ve turned their attention to gin, enjoying pushing the boundaries on flavour. Suburban gin is made using botanicals from the suburb where they live and includes blackberry, fennel, dandelion and prickly pear.
Follow Imbue Distillery on Facebook and Instagram.
Red Hen Gin
The three Vallelonga brothers and their best mate Luke, set up Red Hen Distilling in 2016 and won the Champion Small Batch Gin Award at the Australian Distilled Spirits Award within a month.
Native muntrie berries, local citrus and peppercorn give this gin a bright, vibrant flavour.
Follow Red Hen gin on Facebook and Instagram.
Manly Spirits Barrel-Aged gin
This very limited release is described by Manly Spirits as a cross between whisky and gin. They’ve taken their original Australian Dry gin and rested it in two different barrels, and ex-bourbon barrel from Kentucky and a Tasmanian single-malt cask. A must for those who like ‘sipping’ gins.
Follow Manly Spirits on Facebook and Instagram.
Killara Triple Juniper Apothecary gin
Triple Juniper Apothecary Gin has the same ten botanicals as the Original Apothecary Gin but with three times the amount of juniper! As you’d expect it has a big juniper kick at the front that lingers.
For those that love their gins with extra juniper.
Follow Killara Distillery on Facebook and Instagram.
Ambleside Distillers Big Dry Gin
Big Dry Gin is Matt’s creation. As the name suggested, it’s Big, dry and peppery but not too spicy. What sets this gin apart is the jalapeño used to lift the other botanicals. With notes of rosemary and thyme,t he intense and robust flavours complement the dry taste of the juniper berries and make a delightful martini. A favourite at GQHQ.
Follow Ambleside Distillers on Facebook and Instagram.
Reed & Co. Distilling Remedy gin
Created by two chefs, Hamish and Rachel, Remedy gin is all about flavour. Wild & native botanicals result in a distinctively Australian Gin. Pronounced Juniper, eucalyptus, pine and followed by a rounded finish of green tea, shiso & honey.
Follow Reed & Co. Distilling on Facebook and Instagram.
Lawrenny Distilling Settler’s 1818 gin
This is a Navy Strength gin, and features rosemary grown on the Lawrenny estate, alongside juniper, pimento berry, cassia and brown cardamom which gives it a mild smokiness.
Follow Lawrenny on Facebook and Instagram.
Anther gin
Created by husband and wife team, Derv and Sebastian in the heart of Melbourne (their distillery is at Craft & Co.), Anther gin was crowned Champion Small gin at this year’s Australian Distilled Spirits Awards.
It’s a traditional London dry style gin, with juniper at the fore, complemented by Australian native botanicals.
Follow Anther gin on Facebook and Instagram.
THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED
Terms and Conditions
Entrants must be over 18
Open to UK, Australian and NZ residents only
One entry per applicant
Closing date is midnight (AEST) on 9th December 2018
Eighth Day of Gin-Mas
The Eighth Day of Gin-Mas is here!
Fords Gin
Fords gin is a collaboration between Master distiller, Charles Maxwell and industry stalwart Simon Ford. The idea was to create a balanced juniper-forward gin that could work in any gin cocktail.
Fords has a traditional base of juniper and coriander balanced by citrus, florals and spices. The botanicals are steeped for 15 hours before distillation which delivers an aromatic, fresh and floral spirit with elegant notes of jasmine and grapefruit.
Follow Fords Gin on Facebook and Instagram.
Brogan’s Way Evening Light gin
Brogan’s Way Distillery opened a couple of month’s ago and I am really impressed with distiller Brogan Carr’s work. She’s one of the few distillers in Australia to have completed the prestigious Heriot-Watt University MSc. in Brewing and Distilling, and making the three different Brogan’s Way gins was part of her thesis.
Evening Light gin is their fresh and fruity, easy drinking gin. Unique botanicals such as fresh mangos, fresh raspberries and organic white grapefruit juice form a fruity and unconventional backbone, complimented with sweet piney juniper and warm cassia.
Follow Brogan’s Way on Facebook and Instagram.
Red Hen Gin
The three Vallelonga brothers and their best mate Luke, set up Red Hen Distilling in 2016 and won the Champion Small Batch Gin Award at the Australian Distilled Spirits Award within a month.
Native muntrie berries, local citrus and peppercorn give this gin a bright, vibrant flavour.
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Kilderkin Distillery Original Larrikin gin
Scott and Chris, two friends with with a lifelong interest in distilling and brewing, set out to fulfill their ambition to open a distillery. Kilderkin Distillery opened in 2016, just outside Ballarat, a city with a long history to Australian distilling.
Original Larrikin is their Australian style gin. It has lemon myrtle, with hints of spice and warmth from native botanicals. A really well-balanced gin, with incredibly smooth mouthfeel.
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Tiny Bear Distillery, The Doctor gin
Damien and Manda decided against buying their first home to put their money towards the dream of owning their own distillery in Knox, Victoria. Here they make their own base spirit using kale!
The Doctor gin is an intriguing blend of dill, basil, Vietnamese mint, sage, liquorice root, cinnamon, and hibiscus.
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Animus Arboretum Gin
Four gin-loving friends set up Animus Distillery in their home before establishing themselves in Kyneton, just outside Melbourne. Arboretum, one of their three award-winning gins, is complex and herbaceous, utilising a range of local estate-grown ingredients: Fresh strawberry gum leaf, lemon thyme, rosemary, oranges and native bush tomato. This one is for the martini-lovers.
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Reed & Co. Distilling Remedy gin
Created by two chefs, Hamish and Rachel, Remedy gin is all about flavour. Wild & native botanicals result in a distinctively Australian Gin. Pronounced Juniper, eucalyptus, pine and followed by a rounded finish of green tea, shiso & honey.
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Lawrenny Distilling Van Diemen’s gin
Van Diemen’s Gin is infused with a blend of traditional and progressive botanicals cut to strength using the pure waters of the River Derwent. It is wonderfully balanced combination of bold juniper, refined herbal notes and fresh citrus.
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THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED.
Terms and Conditions
Entrants must be over 18
Open to UK, Australian and NZ residents only
One entry per applicant
Closing date is midnight (AEST) on 8th December 2018
The Seventh Day of Gin-Mas
7 chances to win some tasty gin on the Seventh Day of Gin-Mas
Manly Spirits Australian Dry Gin
Manly Spirits Australian Dry gin uses a blend of traditional gin botanicals plus aniseed myrtle, finger lime, mountain pepper leaf, and sustainably-foraged sea lettuce, giving it a tasty umami finish. It makes an amazing martini!
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Loch Distillery Gin
This was Loch’s first gin and is a London Dry style. Craig grinds the gin botanicals by hand in a pestle and mortar to extract the most flavour, then distills using a traditional alembic pot still. It’s perfect for most gin cocktails.
Follow Loch Distillery on Facebook and Instagram.
Red Hen
The three Vallelonga brothers and their best mate Luke, set up Red Hen in 2016 and won the Champion Small BatchGin Award at the Australian Distilled Spirits Award within a month.
Native muntrie berries, local citrus and peppercorn give this gin a bright, vibrant flavour.
Follow Red Hen gin on Facebook and Instagram.
Killara Distillery Apothecary Gin
Australia’s first second generation distiller, Kristy Booth-Lark has been learning along side her parents Bill and Lynn, since she was 17. Now she’s set out on her own, creating gin, vodka and whisky.
Kristy distills each botanical separately before blending them together, giving her greater control over the flavour.
Kristy is also the President of the Australian Women in Distilling Association, an organisation she set up to encourage and support women in the industry.
Follow Killara Distillery on Facebook and Instagram.
Anther gin
Created by husband and wife team, Derv and Sebastian in the heart of Melbourne (their distillery is at Craft & Co.), Anther gin was crowned Champion Small gin at this year’s Australian Distilled Spirits Awards.
It’s a traditional London dry style gin, with juniper at the fore, complemented by Australian native botanicals.
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McHenry Christmas gin
William McHenry set out to make whisky (which he has done very successfully), but has done an amazing job producing some incredible gins.
This special, limited edition Christmas gin is made with Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh and is guaranteed to get you in the festive spirit (pun completely intended!)
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Archie Rose Distiller’s Cut gin
Archie Rose’s overproof gin is packed with sixteen individually distilled botanicals, including fresh pears from Orange in NSW, rose petals, elderflower, pronounced juniper and distilled honey direct from local beehives.
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THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED
Terms and Conditions
Entrants must be over 18
Open to UK, Australian and NZ residents only
One entry per applicant
Closing date is midnight (AEST) on 7th December 2018
The Sixth Day of Gin-Mas
No, you aren’t seeing double! The team at Adelaide Hills distillery wanted to give 6 lucky people the chance to try their gin for the sixth day of Gin-Mas!
Adelaide Hills Distillery
Sacha LaForgia has an exciting weekend ahead of him as he opens LOT.100 (pictured above), the new home of Adelaide Hills Distillery that he’ll share with a cider maker, a wine-maker and a restaurant. It’s a huge leap from where he began almost 4 years ago creating his first gin, 78 degrees on a tiny still that he built himself.
Since then Sacha has worked alongside Something Wild to create Green Ant gin, a tasty citrus forward gin made using actual Green Ants. A percentage of profits from the sale of this gin go back to the indigenous community where the ants are foraged.
Sunset gin is the latest release. Don’t let the pink hue fool you, it’s not a sweet gin! It is a divine fruit number with a superb dry finish.
Follow Adelaide Hills Distillery on Facebook and Instagram.
THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED
Terms and Conditions
Entrants must be over 18
Open to UK, Australian and NZ residents only
One entry per applicant
Closing date is midnight (AEST) on 6th December 2018
