Good Ra Dig Bee Distillers

A River called GOODRADIGBEE

Founder, creator and fine liquor maker John O’Connor, back in the day, would go fishing with his Dad, down a track off the back of Canberra at the northern tip of the pristine Snowy Mountains wilderness of New South Wales. This is where John learnt how to fly fish on the Goodradigbee River.

GOODRADIGBEE’S AUSTRALIAN HARDWOOD CUBES

The rainbow trout were scarce, the water was cold but when a curious fi sh was in sight, he teased, tickled and fi nally caught it. The experience was immensely satisfying. These were glorious moments that would go on to produce a uniquely Australian Brand, bred by memories that have stayed with John his whole life. - Good Ra Dig Bee Distillers.

This is the story about the determination of an Australian distiller to create a spirit that is the only one of its type on the shelf.

This burning desire began, funnily enough, while burning an Australian hardwood on a campfi re beside the Goodradigbee River, at the northern end of the Snowy Mountains.

A large Ironbark log from the mighty Ironbark tree was placed in the fl ames. The guessing game began. Was that the aroma of chocolate wafting from the fl ames?

Another campfi re, another question, on a sheep station in Leonora, WA. This time a Jarrah log was thrown down. Was that the aroma of cinnamon or aniseed? This was revelatory – incredible aromas emerging from native trees.

A NEW SINGLE MALT TAKES SHAPE

“We didn’t set out to be different for the sake of it. We simply wanted to make quality spirits that had unique provenance; to produce a singular Australian taste quicker and deliver it with fl air.

“Our accelerated maturation cubes (patent pending), built from these unique Australian hardwoods, have a much higher wood-to-liquid volume than a barrel. So more wood equals more fl avour and the colour of a 10-year-old single malt whisky in a few months,“ says John.

The Australian hardwoods chosen, most of which come from alpine areas, are hard and dense because of the weather extremes. Unlike oak, which is effectively a ‘wet’ wood, Australian hardwoods react violently with the liquid, cracking and opening up, absorbing the liquid.

The results – single malt spirits and wood-infused gins that are sweet, complex, delicious and revolutionary.

With a small bar to open in Brookvale soon and the distillery space expanding to keep up with demand, the Northern Beaches are in for a treat as we watch this unique new distillery take a form of its own. •

PHOTOS: GOODRADIGBEE DISTILLERS

GOODRADIGBEE DISTILLERS // 6 KING AVENUE, BALGOWLAH 0410 841 007 // john@goodradigbee.com // www.goodradigbee.com // INSTA + FB: GOODRADIGBEEDISTILLERS