PORTSIDE GIN by ginsociety

THE PORTSIDE GIN EDITION

NEWCASTLE, NSW

EARP’S DISTILLERY DOOR AND COCKTAIL BAR IN CARRINGTON IS ONLY 5 MINS DRIVE FROM NEWCASTLE’S CBD

FOUNDER’S

WELCOME Welcome to the latest edition of the Gin Journal – we’re so excited to see our friends in NSW and VIC emerge from lengthy lockdowns, and we hope you’ve had a chance to support your local distillery with a cheeky in-person G&T. For this issue, we’re heading up to the incomparable Hunter Region and stopping in at Newcastle’s Earp Distilling Co. Owned by one of Australia’s oldest family businesses, there’s so much exciting stuff happening at this distillery – from nextgen stills to an incomparable passion for exploring new spirits. If you get a chance to drop into their base in Carrington, we PORTSIDE GIN IS JUST ONE OF SEVERAL GINS THAT EARP DISTILLING. CO PRODUCE. CHECK OUT EARPDISTILLINGCO.COM FOR SOME OF THEIR OTHER AWARD-WINNING GINS.

guarantee you’ll be swept off your feet by the visual – and palate-smashing – spectacle! We also chat to Fever-Tree about what makes them one of the most recognisable names in mixers. And with Australian Gin Day right around the corner (Saturday 20 November), we find out what makes Australian gin stand out from the crowd. Ryan Fitzgerald (Fitzy) spins an entertaining yarn as our latest Ginsider, and we’ve put together a special Christmas gin cocktail list for the festive season. Finally, don’t forget to test out the Earpinspired cocktails as we steamroll our way into summer. As always, you can drop us a line at hello@ ginsociety.com. We just know you’ll love this punchy navy-strength gin that only Novocastrians could produce! Cheers!

Andrew Burge Founder, Gin Society

VISIT US AT WWW.GINSOCIETY.COM

4 MEET THE MAKER

A passionate family discovers spirits

22 AUSTRALIAN GIN DAY

Con

Support your local distillery on 20 November for Australian Gin Day

25 TOP DOG OF MIXERS

Fever-Tree is obsessed with pairing premium gins with premium mixers

The Gin Society team Founder: Andrew Burge Director: Jagdev Singh Creative Director: Annah Lansdown Head of IT: Chris Richardson Membership Relations: Emily Prunty Designer: Tori Gibson Editor: Simon Jones

29 THE GINSIDER

With media personality Ryan ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald

PORTSIDE GIN EDITION

ntents 32 COCKTAIL HOUR

‘Tis the season to be tipsy. Try these 6 festive gin cocktails.

Get in touch | Gin Journal is the bi-monthly members’ magazine of the Gin Society. Members Got a question or query about your membership? We’re here to help. Drop us a line – hello@ginsociety.com

Events Hosting an event? Looking for unique gins or an organised tasting? Let’s talk – events@ginsociety.com

Advertising We welcome enquiries about advertising and brand collaborations. Please contact sales – sales@ginsociety.com

Partnerships Launching a new gin? Opening a new venue or distillery? Let us know – partnerships@ginsociety.com

E A R P D I S T I L L I N G C O.

A PASSIONATE FAMILY DISCOVERS SPIRITS 4

(L-R) MICHEAL, RICHARD JOSHUA AND ANDREW EARP

As one of Australia’s oldest family businesses, the Earp lineage have passion and work ethic pumping through their veins. But the shift from construction to distilling isn’t exactly a natural progression. We sat down with co-founder Michael Earp and his operations manager Cameron Burns to find out how Earp Distilling Co. is leaving an impression on the Newcastle region.

The family business, which is principally in building supplies, is more than 138 years old.

MICHEAL EARP FOUNDER, DIRECTOR & DISTILLERSANITISERS

R E D E F I N I N G T H E F A M I L Y B U S I N E S S “Around Christmas 2017, I was on holidays looking at how to make whiskey and I suddenly fell into a big rabbit hole of information,” says Michael, who spends his days as head distiller at the family-run Earp Distilling Co. His fascination with spirits isn’t unique. Many a wouldbe distiller has tumbled into the intrigue and ecstasy of crafting your own liquor. But unlike Australia’s wealth of entrepreneurial gin producers, Michael’s history is arguably the antithesis of distilling.

“The family business, which is principally in building supplies, is more than 138 years old,” he says. “For myself, I’d spent time running a hospitality venue and gourmet food shop, and before that an indoor plant-hire service that I founded while I was at university.” But when the earthquake hit Newcastle in 1989, that really changed the whole building scene, especially for us because we were primarily a ceramictile producer.” For the three Michael

following decades, and his

brother Richard – a co-founder and director at Earp Distilling Co. as well – ran the family business. But for an individual who thrives on innovation, he wanted to look further afield to see where his true passion might lay. “January 2018 was when I first started realistically thinking about a distillery,” Michael says. “I found a one-day course in Tasmania, raced down there and completed it. When I came back, straight away I recognised that there was a fantastic opportunity to set up a distillery in Newcastle, because there weren’t any here at that stage.” Less than two years

later, in December 2019, the family business officially expanded into the drinks business, with Earp Distilling Co. opening its doors to the public. Having started off with just three people, the distillery now employs 10 fulltimers and 10 casuals, with more growth firmly in their sights. But like every distillery around the world, 2020 and 2021 haven’t exactly been kind.

// //

Inspired by the enduring spirit of the intrepid traveller, our Navy Strength Portside Gin was crafted as a tribute to the ships and crews that brought our family to our harbour-side home. This robust gin carries the tradition of ‘gunpowder proof ’ while maintaining an aromatic flavour profile highlighted by lemon myrtle, wattle seed and chamomile. Ahoy!

PORTSIDE GIN & TONIC GARNISHED WITH A SLICE OF BLOOD ORANGE

S T A Y I N G A F L O A T The Earp family’s business nous truly shines when you hear how they leveraged their contacts and their ability to pivot after COVID-19 hit our shores. “I have a good friend who’s a pharmacist and when COVID hit, we recognized we had an awful lot of bandwidth to switch from producing spirits to producing sanitiser,” Michael says. “Within a couple of days we had sent out samples to our tile showrooms and warehouses.” With hand sanitiser in such high demand during those early pandemic days, orders began to pile up.

“All of a sudden we had requests coming in from all sorts of places,” Michael says. “Cameron had some contacts with Australia Post, which turned into a very significant order. Almost overnight, we went from making a few litres to a few hundred litres to a few thousand litres to hundreds of thousands of litres. We had to stop production of the spirits because it became such a big part of the business.” C a m e r o n remembers that, due to hospitality shutting down, there were an awful lot of people

CAMERON BURNS OPERATIONS MANAGER & DISTILLER

who were about to lose – or had already lost – their jobs. Thanks to the massive uptick in sanitiser production, the Earp team were able to support those in the local community.

// One day my mate

messaged me and said, ‘I’ve stood down a 120 staff.’ I replied, ‘Sweet, can you send me 50 of them tomorrow? They can start work here.’ We went from about eight staff to 60 or sometimes even more – it was ridiculous.”

While they were glad they could salvage so many people’s jobs, the cost of staying afloat during the pandemic wasn’t easy. The shifts were long and tiring – often 20hour days for seven days a week. Finally, in September of 2020, things started to return to normal and Earp’s typical spirits production resumed. It wasn’t exactly the start to their distilling journey they had imagined, but it was all worth it to keep crafting an amazing selection of gin and other spirits.

C R E A T I N G A E X P E R I E N C E You’ll find one of those fantastic gins in your delivery with this issue. Earp Distilling Co.’s Portside Gin is our first foray into the navy-strength variety here at Gin Society, and Cameron is stoked that he can share this incredible spirit with you. “I’m always the big pusher to get the Portside into people’s hands,” he says. “When we do events, people sometimes get scared by navy strength because they think it’s too strong or overpowering. But even though it has the highest alcohol content, I find it’s the smoothest, the easiest and tastiest of all our gins. So when people try our navy strength, whether it’s at events or gin tastings, it always ends up being the biggest seller. Like me, they fall in love with it.” For the ultimate Portside experience, Cameron recommends enjoying it right where the action is: in the Earp Distilling Co. bar.

V I S C E R A L W I T H G I N

EARP’S DISTILLERY BAR

“We call it Portside because we make it in the Port of Newcastle. So we love for our customers to sit in our bar and watch the massive cargo ships sail past.” In terms of what you’ll find in the bottle, the Earp team aren’t fond of overdoing things. “We try to keep our botanicals to a minimum,” Cameron says. “Our Portside has seven botanicals, and we really want them to sing – we don’t want to overpower the gin. It’s about keeping things simple, but you’ll really like the lemon myrtle, which is the big flavour bomb of citrus.”

// “Our Portside has

JUNIPER

seven botanicals, and we really want them to sing – we don’t want to overpower the gin.

Macedonia

CORIANDER

Albania

Australia

CHAMOMILE Egypt

ORRIS ROOT

LEMON MYRTLE

EARP’S 5000L MAIN STILL ZEUS

India

ANGELICA ROOT Albania

WATTLE SEED Australia

B R I D G I N G I N D U S T R I E S Another first is the bottle itself. As an ode to their long-running tile business, you can purchase Earp spirits in a stunning ceramic bottle – in addition to the traditional glass version. “It also ties in with the history of the company,” Michael says. “Many, many years ago, we actually imported spirits back in the late 1800s, and those spirits came in ceramic jugs. So the ceramic bottle is quite important to our story, but it’s also heavy and slightly more fragile than

the glass bottles. So we asked ourselves how we could try and reduce the costs, and we came up with the idea of using a PET pouch as a refill kit – the ceramic bottles are 500mL and the refill pouches are 250mL, with refill orders receiving two pouches.” While a logical extension of the Earp family’s story, it also ties into their sustainability focus – particularly around how they use and manage water across their businesses.

2 X PORTSIDE’S 250ML REFILL POUCHES WITH EVERY REFILL ORDER

“Our family tile business is the most advanced green-certified ceramic tile supplier in Australia, and the company we supply them from is in Spain. The tiles that have been sold in the last couple of years have saved 23 million litres of water in production. And we wanted to carry that through to the distillery,” Michael says. “We have underground tanks that we use for our closed-cycle cooling system. The water that

COVID SAW EARP RELEASE A LINE OF HAND SANITISERS

we use is triple-filtered; it goes through carbon filtration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light. We try to use the purest water possible in the bar and also for the dilution of our spirits. We also make sure the water is reused. So any of the waste product, the stillage that comes from the distilling process, gets taken up to the Hunter Valley and fed to animals and used as fertiliser.”

E N D L E S S P L A N S F O R T H E F U T U R E With business minds like Michael and Cameron at the helm, it’s no wonder Earp Distilling Co. has already managed to establish itself as one of the finest spirits producers in the Hunter region – all this despite the onset and disruption caused by COVID-19. Cameron says the opportunities for the future are endless. “We’ve got plans to add a rooftop bar that overlooks the harbour, with people able to sit around the gardens up there and smell all of our amazing Australian botanicals growing,” he says. “But it may not happen for a while because we’re just so busy. “We have started growing all our own herbs and botanicals in our carpark. We started our own honey

beehive, so soon we’ll be producing honey for the bar and to make our gins with. In addition to gin, we’ve got a heavy focus on rum and whiskey, with our first rum launching shortly. We’ve got a new gin that’s about to be released – our Just Juniper Smoked Gin, which is a beautifully balanced gin with a smokey whiskey flavour. “We’ve got the Gin School here, so a lot of people are coming and producing their own gins. We’ve even been approved for a new restaurant and another bar – so that’s doubling our bars and restaurants at the distillery. There’s an endless list of things that we’re looking forward to, but most of all being able to open up to the public and welcome people back into our distillery again.”

MEET ZEUS EARP’S 5000 LITRE REFLUX COLUMN STILL WITH BOTH POT AND COLUMN DISTILLING MODES

Make your gin sing ROCK N ROLLA INGREDIENTS

45mL Just Juniper Gin 15mL elderflower liqueur 60mL rockmelon juice 15mL lemon juice 20mL rhubarb syrup 2 dashes rhubarb bitters 30mL aquafaba Sparkling verdelho, to top. Place all ingredients, except sparkling verdelho, into a cocktail shaker. Dry shake (shake without ice) then wet shake (shake with ice). Double-strain into wine/ balloon glass over ice. Top with sparkling verdelho.

You might need to expand your spirits collection to whip up this cocktail at home, but you certainly won’t be disappointed with the result. 18

with these cocktails MUST-TANG SALLY INGREDIENTS

20mL Portside Gin 30mL raspberry liqueur 10mL Cointreau Fresh kaffir lime leaf Finger lime pearls Fever-Tree Elderflower Tonic, to top Halve 1 finger lime and scoop out pearls inside. Tear 4 Kaffir lime leaves in half. Then, build alcohol, pearls and leaves in a wine glass. Fill with ice and top with tonic.

A colourful concoction that packs a lip-smacking hit of tang, this cocktail will make you an instant crowd favourite. 19

BARREL AGED PORTSIDE NEGRONI INGREDIENTS

30mL Barrel Aged Portside Gin 30mL Antica Formula Vermouth 30mL Campari Orange, to garnish Stir all ingredients over ice. Garnish with your either fresh orange slice or orange twist.

If you’ve never had a barrel-aged gin, Earp Distilling Co. has a fantastic version of both its Portside Gin and No. 8 Dry Gin. Stir it into your next Negroni for a flavour sensation like no other.

TOMMY COLLINS

A punchy spin on the traditional Tom Collins, this cocktail is taken to the next level with the addition of Earp’s very own limoncello.

INGREDIENTS

30mL Portside Gin 30mL Summertime Limoncello 30mL lemon juice Teaspoon of honey Soda water, to top Halve 1 finger lime and scoop out pearls inside. Tear 4 Put all ingredients into tall Collins glass. Stir until honey is dissolved. Fill glass with ice and top with soda water.

Gin Day 20 AUSTRAL

OUR FAVOURITE DAY OF THE YEAR

After a tough year for the drinks and hospitality industries, why not get out and support your local distillery for Australian Gin Day on Saturday 20 November?

www.neverneverdistilling.com.au

Crack open a local bottle this Australian Gin Day!

It might not be a nationally recognised holiday just yet, but we are still planning to celebrate Australian Gin Day by supporting some of the best local distilleries around the country. So what is it? Back in 2019, a few gin lovers from The Gin Guide decided to coordinate an annual celebration of Australia’s brilliant assortment of distillers, distilleries and gins. It might be in its infancy, but Australian Gin Day has already seen some wonderful results, with more and more people spreading the word and enjoyment of Aussie gin. “In previous years, more than 100 distilleries, liquor stores, gin bloggers and more put on events for the special day. One of them even whipped up an Australian Gin Day doughnut! With NSW and VIC opening up just in time for the 2021 iteration, we’re so excited to see people get out to support their favourite distilleries around the country.”

www.archierose.com.au

NOV 20

IAN

ALL THE GINFORMATION YOU NEED We highly recommend checking out the official website (ausginday.com) because there is so much detailed information that can help you take your gin appreciation to the next level. You can find some hidden gems in your home state, learn which distilleries offer tours or have on-site gin bars for tastings and cocktails, and there’s even a free gin tasting mat you can download to help you feel like a pro during a tasting session.

www.fourpillarsgin.com.au

1 And for The MGC’s Single Shot gin – one of our subscriber bottles from 2019? A garnish of orange & thyme is highly recommended.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

GARNISH GUIDE

Australian Gin Day might be all about the spirit itself, but we can’t forget about the humble garnish. And the folks at Australian Gin Day have put together a spectacular Australian Gin Garnish Guide. Not content to simply list all the fantastic native garnishes that are grown Down Under, the guide has been created in such a way that you will find the perfect accompaniment to almost 70 Aussie gins.

Doing something special for Australian Gin Day 2021? Make sure you reach out through our socials or tag us in a post – let’s make this the best day of the year with a local gin in our hands. Visit ausginday. com for more information about Australian Gin Day.

www.melbournegincompany.com

www.manlyspirits.com.au

Got a bottle of Manly Spirits Australian Dry Gin? Pair it with orange. What about a drop of Clair de Lune from Buffalo Vale Distillery? A cucumber or lime will do the trick. www.buffalovale.com

In 1920s New York, the best cure for a hangover hangover was gin and tomato juice – years before the vodka-based Bloody Mary came into fashion.

Fun facts aubknoowu? t gin yo Did

Aussie settlers imported Gordon’s Gin into Melbourne in 1850, paying for it with gold dust.

The Martini glass only got its name in the 1990s – before that, it was simply referred to as a cocktail glass.

Juniper ‘berry’ is a misnomer, as it’s not a berry at all.

TOP DOG OF MIXERS The mixer of choice for countless gin-thusiasts around the world, Fever-Tree has gone from strength to strength in recent years. We spoke to Caroline Wood, Head of Marketing at Fever-Tree Australia, to get the lowdown on what makes this illustrious brand so successful. 25

//It comes down to

SHINING A LIGHT ON AN OVERLOOKED CATEGORY It was 2004 and premium spirits were starting to take off all over the world, but there was a key element missing: mixers were still the same products they’d always been. “Back then, the mixer category was completely overlooked and dominated by a couple of large brands,” Caroline says. “In stark contrast, consumers were becoming increasingly interested in craft and provenance. It struck our founders, Tim Warrilow and Charles Rolls, as extraordinary that people were spending their money on all these great premium and craft gins but had no choice.” Adamant that a premium mixer was needed, a business was born – one where there would be no compromise, where they would seek to create the best tonic water to complement all the premium spirits from around the world. “Flavour and quality were of the utmost importance,” Caroline says. “That meant not using artificial flavours or sweeteners, which were rife in the market at the time. This mindset led them on an 18-month adventure from the archives of the British Library to facing the wrong end of a

quality and innovation. An uncompromising approach to quality to find the best ingredients.

Kalashnikov in the Democratic Republic of Congo and concluded with the launch of our Premium Indian Tonic Water in 2005.” Fever-Tree still operates by that mindset to this day. They live and breathe the idea that they can – and must – go to the ends of the earth in pursuit of the best.

STAYING AHEAD IN A CROWDED MARKET There’s no denying that the mixer space today is unrecognisable to when FeverTree began. The amount of competition is incredible, and the team at Fever-Tree understand that to stay relevant – and top-of-mind – among consumers, they need to constantly innovate and only develop the finest-quality products. “It comes down to quality and innovation,” Caroline says. “Our uncompromising approach to quality takes us to find the very best ingredients for our products.

We believe there is no other company going to the lengths we do to source these ingredients.”

quality gin is being crafted: if threequarters of your drink is the mixer, mix with the best.

In addition to Fever-Tree’s range of tonic waters that complement the sheer diversity of gin’s flavour categories, Catherine says they’ve also put their blood, sweat and tears into crafting a number of other mixers.

“You need to go back to the question that Charles and Tim had when they first started: why would you spend good money on a bottle of Tanqueray or Hendrick’s gin, but not have a premium mixer to go with it?” Catherine asks.

“We’ve found three incredibly diverse varieties of ginger that, together, create a remarkably deep, fresh and true taste, which we’ve used to make a selection of ginger ales and ginger beer,” she says. “We’ve developed a recipe for cola using Madagascan vanilla with the single purpose to bring out the best in dark spirits, like whiskies and rum. We have lemonades using the finest, naturally sourced ingredients and a beautifully simple soda water too.

“We have seen firsthand in many markets that quality has broad appeal – people are wanting to drink betterquality spirits in greater numbers, and moving towards simple, long mixed drinks with premium mixers. Moreover, there are no signs of stopping the gin boom – it’s not just a case of consumers drinking more, but also younger consumers entering the category with flavoured gin with its sweeter profile.”

“We continue to innovate to supplement the world’s best spirits, as consumers increasingly experiment with different spirits.”

Whatever they’re doing at FeverTree, it’s working. And by exuding the mindset of their founders – to never compromise on quality – their reign at the top of the mixer space looks secure.

THE “THREE-QUARTERS” RULE

fever-tree.com

There’s a saying that’s very well-known around the halls of Fever-Tree HQ, and it will continue to ring true so long as

MEDITERRANEAN TONIC WATER We use less quinine in our Mediterranean Tonic which, with the addition of rosemary and lemon thyme, produces a much lighter, more fragrant tonic.

INDIAN TONIC WATER

Our Premium Indian Tonic water uses a handful of different botanicals, including our distinctive quinine and oils from Mexican Bitter Oranges, to give a clean and refreshing taste and aroma.

ELDERFLOWER TONIC WATER

We use elderflower petals from the English countryside, which are picked when the flowers are most fragrant and then distilled into an oil that gives this tonic water a delicate floral sweetness.

AROMATIC TONIC WATER

By blending the gentle bitterness of South American angostura bark with aromatic botanicals, such as cardamom, pimento berry and ginger, we’ve created a delicious, unique tonic water.

Visit fever-tree.com for their full range of drinks

THE GINSIDER This issue, we’re excited to be joined by former AFL player, Big Brother contestant and hugely popular Australian radio personality Ryan “Fitzy” Fitzgerald. He was lucky enough to discover gin at one of the best bars in the world, and now he’s exploring some of Australia’s best unearthed gems!

What was your first proper introduction to gin? It was actually in London. We were doing our radio show for a week covering the Royal Wedding of Will and Kate. We got invited back to DUKES Bar and a local ordered me a Monkey 47 Gin. It had hardly any tonic water in it, and it was magnificent. What do you like about gin as a spirit? I love the variety of gins out there, both here in Australia and overseas, and there are so many different flavours that are being introduced all the time.

“

We were doing our radio show for a week covering the Royal Wedding of Will and Kate. We got invited back to DUKES Bar and a local ordered me a Monkey 47 Gin.

How do you drink gin? Usually a basic dry gin with a large ice cube. However, my wife and I have started introducing a CAPI Spicy Ginger Beer to our gin, which makes it so refreshing. Have you tried any new gins lately? I’m from Adelaide, so naturally I’m a big fan of the McLaren Vale and Barossa wine regions. I recently discovered Two Accents Gin in Lyndoch and tried their Barrel-Aged Shiraz Gin – it’s magnificent. What is your most memorable gin experience?

DUKES Bar, London

What gin-based cocktail would you be? “Definitely a Spiced Gin Punch. The best way to make it is with your favourite gin, orange or pineapple juice, spiced simple syrup, clove bitters and tonic water.” gin, orange or pineapple juice, spiced simple syrup, clove bitters and tonic water.”

After that first experience of tasting gin in London, I purchased my own bottle of Monkey 47 in Sydney. I treasured that bottle and took it to a party that Andrew Burge, Founder of Gin Society, was also attending. We got on to the topic of gin and I begged him to try this new bottle I’d discovered. I was so worried about wasting my beloved Monkey 47 that I poured a feeble share of gin – Andrew noticed immediately, and I’ve been constantly reminded about that ever since!

Credit: archierose.com.au

Which three gins would you bring with you on a desert island? Gothic Gin: It’s such a versatile gin that I’d love to have all to myself on an island. Two Accents Barrel-Aged Shiraz Gin: For special occasions (by myself ). Monkey 47: To be able to always go back to that first gin experience. What do you like about Gin Society? There are so many new gins entering the market right now that researching them all is way too time-consuming. The convenience of Gin Society makes our lives easier – and their strike rate has been very high!

FITZY’S

DESERT ISLAND GINS

DESERT ISLAND GINS Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin is a complex Gin that has great balance between 47 unusual regional botanicals. It is blended with natural spring water to maintain the purity in taste.

Handpicked, handcrafted and sourced from the finest organic ingredients available, Gothic Gin delivers distinct, clean botanicals that take you on a journey into the spirit of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter.

FITZY’S GIN LIST Gothic Gin: https://gothicgin.com/ Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin: https://monkey47.com/ Barrel-Aged Shiraz Gin: https://www.twoaccents.com.au/

This limited release - Barrel-Aged Shiraz Gin has been batchdistilled in a Copper Pot Still and crafted using hand-selected botanicals and world-renowned Barossa Shiraz. Their Shiraz Gin is then placed in five-yearold Shiraz American oak barrels for a minimum of three months, creating a smooth vanilla, caramel and charred oak finish. 31

Spir In the

Clover Club Recipe Ingredients: 60mL Gin 25mL Lemon juice 10mL Raspberry syrup 1 Egg white 1 tsp Sugar Fresh Raspberries Method: Combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake well. A dry shake (without ice) allows the raw egg whites to froth and form a nice foamy top when poured. Add ice and shake. Pour through a strainer into a chilled coupe glass. 3 fresh raspberries, to garnish.

‘Tis the season to be tipsy!Try these festive cocktails

its 33

“

Try this festive variation on the Gin Moscow Mule by dressing this classic cocktail up with fresh rosemary and cranberries.

Ingredients

45mL Gin 90mL Cranberry Juice 22.5mL Rosemary Syrup 1/2 Lime, juiced 90mL Ginger Beer

Mistletoe Mule

In a copper mug over ice, combine the gin, cranberry juice, rosemary simple syrup, and lime juice. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with fresh cranberries, a sprig of rosemary, and a lime wedge.

Chocolate Martini

Ingredients

Serves 4 200mL Gin 50mL Dark chocolate 100mL Chocolate liqueur

Tip Make sure your dark chocolate is 70 per cent cocoa solids. !

Measure 200mL gin in jug. Melt 50g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) and pour into the alcohol, whisking all the time, until smoothly blended. Add 100mL chocolate liqueur. For each cocktail, shake 100mL of the chocolate liquid with crushed ice and strain into a martini glass. Decorate with a cinnamon stick.

“

or ‘Chocolatini’ is sweet, delicious, creamy, and the perfect cocktail for indulging your sweet tooth this holiday season.

Cranberry Kringle

Ingredients

50mL Gin 150 ml Cranberry Juice 10 ml Lemon Juice Ice Cubes Fresh Cranberries

Fill a tumbler glass with ice cubes and add the gin and lemon juice. Top with the cranberry juice and stir. Garnish with a few cranberries and fresh rosemary.

“ 36

Spread holiday cheer by toasting it up, cranberry style!

Gin with Baileys Egg Nog Ingredients

90mL Milk 60mL Gin 60mL Baileys 1 Egg white 2 tsp icing sugar 2 sprinkles of cinnamon powder 2 cinnamon sticks Mix the ice, Baileys, milk and gin into a blender to create a smooth cocktail consistency and pour into cocktail glasses. Beat the egg white until it is standing in peaks and fluffy and then fold in the sugar. Place the egg mixture into an icing bag and pipe onto the top of the cocktail, sprinkle with cinnamon and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

“ Recipe courtesy of extraordinarychaos.com

A modern twist on the traditional eggnog ingredients. Sweet and creamy with a good dose of gin and Baileys. 37

Ingredients

2/3 cup caster sugar 2 x 10cm strips orange rind 1 cup gin 2/3 cup lime juice 2 peeled oranges 3/4 cup Aperol aperitif 3 cups chilled soda water 4 cups crushed ice 1 cup fresh mint sprigs Lime slices, to serve

Recipe courtesy of taste.com.au

Place sugar, orange rind and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir over heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes. Cool completely. Place sugar mixture, gin, lime juice, orange slices, Aperol, soda water, ice, mint and extra lime slices in a large jug. Stir to combine. Serves 8.

“

Made with gin, Aperol, citrus and mint, this punch will be the hit of your Christmas party or any party this holiday season!

Aperol Gin Punch 39

TASTING NOTES JUNIPER CITRUS FLORAL HEAT HERBAL SPICE This robust gin carries the tradition of ‘gunpowder proof’ while maintaining an aromatic flavour profile highlighted by lemon myrtle, wattle seed and chamomile. Juniper on the nose followed by glorious citrus notes. Floral, citrus and juniper on the palate.

Graded out of 100

WHATEVER YOUR GIN WE’VE GOT JUST . THE IF

O F YO U R D R I N K I S T H E M I X E R ,

M I X W I T H T H E B E ST

Zone Denmark

Rocks Cocktail Shaker Sharp and sleek, the Zone Denmark “Rocks” Cocktail shaker will have you whipping up your favourite beverages in style! Inspired by a melting ice cube, the shaker includes an integrated filter under the lid. Stainless steel. AUD$89 www.designstuff.com.au

Archie Rose

Parisian Copper Shaker This stunning polished copper shaker is the same one as those used behind the Archie Rose bar. Large enough to shake two cocktails. AUD$39 www.archierose.com.au

Gift Guide

for gin lovers

Stuck for what to give the gin lover in your life this Christmas? Or maybe you just want to treat yourself? Check out our gift guide for the ultimate gin-inspired goodies. 42

Riedel

Extreme Gin Glass Set Of 4 The Extreme Gin Set is perfect for allowing gin lovers to enjoy the full aromatic expression of the gin’s botanicals. With its angular tulip-shaped bowl, these modern glasses are a stylish and functional addition to any cocktail lover’s home. AUD$140.00 www.riedel.com

Four Pillars

Australian Christmas Gin 2021 To make this special annual release, Four Pillars distils Christmas puddings, then ages this gin for a year in 100-year-old Muscat barrels. The gin has aromatics of classic juniper and a hint of cinnamon, backed up with a rich palate and a hint of sweetness from the Muscat. Sip it neat, mix it with ginger ale or beer, or try it in some great cocktails. AUD$100 (700mL) www.fourpillarsgin.com

Gin Society

Negroni 3 Pack The Negroni is, quite simply, a perfect cocktail. The Gin Society Negroni lends the drinker a certain continental sophistication. And it doesn’t skimp on the ABV. Our famous Negroni at 28% ABV features the spectacular Gothic Gin, the exquisite Maidenii Sweet Vermouth and the iconic Campari. AUD$59 for 3 (200mL bottle) www.ginsociety.com

Cristina Re

Coupe Rose Crystal Set of 2 Entertain in style with this luxury duo of handblown crystal coupe glasses by Australian artist and designer, Cristina Re. Hand-painted 24ct gold finish. Set of 2. 200mL each www.hominginstincts.com.au

Haigh’s Chocolates

Milk Melbourne Dry Gin Fudge A smooth fudge centre created with a blend of local and exotic botanicals, The Melbourne Gin Company’s Dry Gin shines in this carefully crafted milk chocolate. Infused with additional juniper berries to balance the sweetness of milk chocolate, this is an expression of modern Australian gin. AUD$21 (125g) www.haighschocolates.com.au

House of Handmade Collective

Gin Linen Tea Towel & Christmas Cards These Melbourne-based ‘Lover’ screen-printed linen tea towels feature illustrations by The Vicinity Store and are screen printed in Melbourne. AUD$28 The Vicinity Store Christmas Cards AUD$6.50 www.houseofhandmade.com

GIN SOCIETY GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS Perfect for the gin lover in your life, a subscription to the Gin Society is a passport to the incredible world of craft gins. Available for 2, 4 or 6 box gift memberships. visit www.ginsociety.com