Australian Gin & Distilleries in Australia
On This Page: Australian Gin and Distillery directory, reviews and tasting notes, distillery tours in Australia, interviews with Australian distillers, and industry insights with JP Willigenburg, Founder of That Spirited Lot in Melbourne, and Luke Ridden, Co-Founder of Grandad Jack's Craft Distillery in Queensland.
|
The Australian Gin industry has boomed and rapidly evolved over the past 10 years since the opening of Australia's first dedicated gin distillery, Kangaroo Island Spirits, in 2006, becoming one of the most dynamic gin markets in the world. The industry is set apart by its innovative combination of traditional gin botanicals with native ingredients, such as lemon myrtle, finger lime, wattleseed, and Tasmanian pepperberry. This fusion of traditional distilling techniques with local ingredients has not only created a strong domestic following but has also positioned Australian gin as a premium export in global markets. Every year Australian Gin Day (founded by The Gin Guide in 2019) is celebrated in November.
|
Australian Gin Reviews - A to Z
- AmberChes Gin - Info & Review
- Black Cockatoo Gin - Info & Review
- Kalki Moon Gin - Info & Review
- Lizard Dragon Distillers Gin - Info & Review
- Puss & Mew Gin - Info & Review
- That Spirited Lot Gin - Info & Review
Distilleries & Tours in Australia
Many distilleries in Australia are open to visitors for tours and tastings, or have a 'cellar door' to buy from them directly. They make for the ideal experience for gin lovers living in or visiting Australia:
|
|
Meet the Makers
Get to know some of Australia's finest gin creators and distillers in our 'Meet the Maker' interviews. Find out what inspired them and how they created and launched their gin, how it's made, what botanicals are used, what you can experience if you visit their distilleries, how best to serve their gins and what they have planned for the future:
|
|
|
Alicia Rheeston-Stewart
AmberChes Spirits Western Australia Interview Coming Soon |
Pete & Rachel Galvin
Black Cockatoo Distillery, Bridgetown Interview Coming Soon |
The Inside Scoop
We caught up with JP Willigenburg - Founder of That Spirited Lot in Melbourne, Luke Ridden - Co-Founder of Granddad Jack's Craft Distillery in Queensland, Sean Baxter of Never Never Distillery in McLaren Vale, and Diane Stewart of Black Cat Distillery in Barossa Valley, to find out what makes Australian Gin special and how the industry has grown in recent years:
A little bit of background...
Luke: "Australia has a pretty cool history of gin. It’s only in the last decade that it’s exploded, with a lot of distilleries in Tasmania and spreading from there with a good batch of really passionate, wonderful people."
Sean: "In Australia we have always been a melting pot of culture and style. You can find it in food, sport, religion, architecture and now the spirits industry. We make whisky like the Scots, brandy like the French, Rum like the West Indies and Gin like the Poms. Within all of these various styles we bring our own creative interpretations, often dictated by our distance from traditional ingredients or the prosperity of local alternatives. No other spirit has seen that influence than the gin industry."
What's behind the rapid growth in recent years?
Luke: "I think gin is doing so well in Australia because people are really taking advantage of all the amazing Australian botanicals we’ve got and different fruits, like bush tomato, Davidson's plum and lemon myrtle. People are really trying to use what is local to them and that’s what makes Australian gins different and popular."
Diane: "Australian's typically like to 'have a go' at almost anything, so re-working traditional flavours to create their own version is becoming a national sport!"
What impact does environment play on gin and what makes it so special?
JP: "We are very fortunate to live in a wine producing region (Mornington Peninsula), giving us access to a lot of wine to produce soft, quality neutral spirits" Australian."
Diane: "Australian distillers can take advantage of the unique botanicals found in the landscape which impart flavours that can't be replicated elsewhere. For example, our favourite new thing is the Tasmanian Pepper Berry and we have revised all our blends to substitute this delicate, flinty and resinous pepper for the traditional peppers we were able to source early on."
For more insights into the Australian Gin industry, read our full "The Australian Gin Industry - Distiller Insights"
A little bit of background...
Luke: "Australia has a pretty cool history of gin. It’s only in the last decade that it’s exploded, with a lot of distilleries in Tasmania and spreading from there with a good batch of really passionate, wonderful people."
Sean: "In Australia we have always been a melting pot of culture and style. You can find it in food, sport, religion, architecture and now the spirits industry. We make whisky like the Scots, brandy like the French, Rum like the West Indies and Gin like the Poms. Within all of these various styles we bring our own creative interpretations, often dictated by our distance from traditional ingredients or the prosperity of local alternatives. No other spirit has seen that influence than the gin industry."
What's behind the rapid growth in recent years?
Luke: "I think gin is doing so well in Australia because people are really taking advantage of all the amazing Australian botanicals we’ve got and different fruits, like bush tomato, Davidson's plum and lemon myrtle. People are really trying to use what is local to them and that’s what makes Australian gins different and popular."
Diane: "Australian's typically like to 'have a go' at almost anything, so re-working traditional flavours to create their own version is becoming a national sport!"
What impact does environment play on gin and what makes it so special?
JP: "We are very fortunate to live in a wine producing region (Mornington Peninsula), giving us access to a lot of wine to produce soft, quality neutral spirits" Australian."
Diane: "Australian distillers can take advantage of the unique botanicals found in the landscape which impart flavours that can't be replicated elsewhere. For example, our favourite new thing is the Tasmanian Pepper Berry and we have revised all our blends to substitute this delicate, flinty and resinous pepper for the traditional peppers we were able to source early on."
For more insights into the Australian Gin industry, read our full "The Australian Gin Industry - Distiller Insights"
