THE GARDEN GROWN GIN MINI EDITION
CENTRAL COAST, NSW
GARDEN GROWN GIN IS A BEAUTIFULLY FRAGRANT GIN WITH BOTANICALS HANDPICKED FROM THEIR GARDENS IN ERINA ON THE NSW CENTRAL COAST.
FOUNDER’S
WELCOME Since our last edition, the world has changed in ways that would have been impossible to imagine only a few weeks ago. Of course, our thoughts and best wishes are with all those affected directly and indirectly by the COVID-19 crisis, and we applaud the frontline workers who continue to face this uncertain time with compassion, dedication and bravery. The award-winning US gin that we hoped to showcase this month didn’t make it to Australia before international freight was shut down and, while we fully intend to share it with you as soon as possible, we’ve
THE FLORAL NOTES OF OUR APRIL GIN EVOKE AN AUSTRALIAN SUMMER GARDEN
decided to take this opportunity to support our fantastic home-grown gin industry. After the devastating droughts and bushfires so much of the country faced at the start of the year, we wanted to shine a light on a gin that not only celebrates but also supports our rich biodiversity. Transporting drinkers to an Australian summer garden, I hope you’ll agree that the floral fragrance of Garden Grown Gin brings with it a welcome ray of sunshine. As a result of this last-minute change, you’ll notice that this month’s Gin Journal is slimmer than usual, but you can still find all the usual updates and cocktail inspiration on our social channels – so please do continue to share your at-home gin adventures with us! And, as always, feel free to drop us a line anytime: hello@ginsociety.com.
Andrew Burge Founder, Gin Society
VISIT US AT WWW.GINSOCIETY.COM @GINSOCIETY GIN SOCIETY
G A R D E N
G R O W N
G I N
FROM GARDEN TO GLASS
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Featuring fragrant flowers and herbs handpicked from some of Australia’s most beautiful gardens, Garden Grown Gin is in full bloom. 3
T H E S C E N T O F S U M M E R Ten years ago, as the craft gin movement was just gaining momentum, Frank Bethel was inspired to make a spirit that would tell a story. So he called on master distiller Philip Moore, who not only brought his experience as a horticulturalist to the project, but also the stunning surrounds of Erina’s Fragrant Gardens. “The inspiration for our gin came from that garden – it’s just such an impressive place to walk around,” says Frank who, alongside co-founder Will Miles, briefed Philip to come up with a gin that was “evocative of the Australian summer garden”. The result is Garden Grown Gin’s floral-forward offering
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in which two botanicals – murraya and rose – truly blossom alongside chamomile, sage, angelica, orris root and, of course, juniper. “We have a philosophy which dictates that everything in the bottle is grown in the garden,” says Frank. “It’s just the juniper that we have to buy in, as it’s very hard to grow good juniper in Australia.” Thanks to Philip’s botanical background, the distinctive flavours and aromas of the Erina gardens are perfectly captured using a process called enfleurage, which is more commonly associated with making perfume than distilling alcohol.
THE GARDENS IN ERINA, NSW, WHERE THE INSPIRATION FOR GARDEN GROWN GIN ORGINATED.
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MURRAYA SAGE
JUNIPER
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GARDEN GROWN GIN’S BOTANICALS INCLUDE MURRAYA, SAGE, ANGELICA AND JUNIPER - AS WELL AS ROSE, CHAMOMILE AND ORRIS ROOT.
ANGELICA
“We use such delicate flowers and herbs, and Philip realised that if we took a more traditional gin-making process and just blasted the liquid through a basket of plants, we might not get the gentle and soft characteristics we were looking for.”
THE ENFLEURAGE PROCESS
The essential oils are absorbed into the coconut fat, which is then added to the alcohol. “It’s a slightly unusual technique,” Frank admits, “but it preserves the natural aroma of the botanicals as much as possible. I love to smell the gin before I drink it, because the smell is so perfumed and it’s due to that technique.”
G R E E N F I N G E R E D G I N
With enfleurage, the flowers are picked by the Garden Grown Gin team and arranged on a bed of coconut fat for a few days.
When Frank says handpicked, he really means handpicked. “Once those flowers are in bloom, you only get two or three days to pick them while they’re perfect. Otherwise you’ve missed your opportunity. Luckily, murraya can flower more than once a year, but you still need to be alert and ready to go.”
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Provenance is also really important and after launching, Frank started looking for other opportunities to share his passion for botanicals. He approached the Royal Botanic Garden in Sydney, which resulted in the creation of 1,000 bottles of limited-edition Rather Royal Gin. “If a member of the public wandered into the gardens and started picking flowers, they would be fined,” laughs Frank, “but we were very fortunate they wanted to work with us.” The collaboration has since borne even more gin. “We were asked to source ingredients from the Australian Botanic Garden at Mount Annan, which documents the botanical life of Australia and is home to an amazing seed bank collection.” Profits from their Botanic Garden Grown Gin go directly
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back to the garden’s vital conservation initiatives. As Frank says: “The world relies on plants and botanicals for its future and, through the work they’re doing, we can help guarantee that.”
Later this year, a third limitededition bottle is set to be released and will feature handpicked plants from Mount Tomah Botanic Garden in the Blue Mountains.
DURING FLOWERING SEASON, FRANK AND HIS TEAM ARE ON HIGH ALERT, WAITING FOR THE EXACT MOMENT THEIR PLANTS WILL PRODUCT THE PERFECT FLOWER.
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THE BOTTLE WAS DESIGNED TO BE BEAUTIFUL ENOUGH TO BE KEPT AS A VASE ONCE THE CONTENTS HAVE BEEN CONSUMED.
S M E L L T H E R O S E S If you find yourself on the NSW Central Coast in the future, swing by the cellar door and have a wander around the garden. In the meantime, pour yourself a serve and breathe in – on the nose, there are hints of jasmine, sweet honeysuckle and orange blossom.
And we can’t go past that beautiful green bottle. “The intention was to have something hopefully desirable, which would have a value beyond being a bottle of alcohol,” says Frank, who suggests using it as a vase to display flowers when you’re finished.
“I think it’s a beautifully balanced gin,” says Frank. “The thing that always strikes me is the floral nature of it – it’s very soft, very delicate. It’s the kind of gin that you shouldn’t overpower. I’m quite a traditionalist so I mix with a tonic, while pairing it with a soft herb garnish like tarragon or thyme brings out its floral nature.”
Like everything else, the design was a labour of love, but Frank knows it was worth it. “We wanted to present the gin in a thoughtful and considered way, because the same care has gone into making the liquid inside – the effort that goes into a handpicked gin is huge, but it’s a level of attention that I’m very proud of.”
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GIN’S BEST FRIEND A premium gin deserves a premium tonic, which is why we’re delighted to bring you two delicious offerings from our friends at Artisan Drinks.
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“
GARDEN GROWN GIN’ IS ELEGANTLY FLORAL BALANCED JUNIPER, A OF SOOTHING C SAVOURY HINTS. THE P FINISH MAKESIT A WE
CLASSIC LONDON TONIC Featuring natural citrus flavours and subtle botanical notes of cinchona bark – a traditional source of quinine – this is a versatile, classic tonic.
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When it comes to mixing the perfect G&T, Artisan Drinks creator Steve Cooper believes consumers deserve
ingredients, varieties like Agave Lemon and Pink Citrus are shaking up the way Australians enjoy their gin, so we thought it made sense to share some recipes that highlight Garden Grown Gin.
L WITH A TOUCH CAMOMILE AND PEPPERY ELL-ROUNDED GIN.
The man tasked with concocting cocktails to complement the Artisan Drinks range is Mikey Enright, from Sydney’s celebrated speakeasy-style bar The Barber Shop. We caught up with Mikey to talk about this month’s gin.
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greater choice – and his brand’s five tonics certainly provide that. Made with 100% natural
“I think that Philip Moore is one of the most talented distillers in the country,” he says. “I’ve had the pleasure
MIKEY ENRIGHT ABOUT GARDEN GROWN GIN
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A LOT OF THOUGHT HA BEEN GIVEN TO THE GIN’S BOTANICAL MAK UP AND THE METHOD USED TO EXTRACT TH FLAVOURS. VIOLET BLOSSOM TONIC
MIKEY ENRIGHT ABOUT GARDEN GROWN GIN
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The lilac hue of this full-flavoured tonic is just as memorable as its vibrant bouquet of violet, elderflower and apple blossom. It can be enjoyed as a standalone soft drink or used to add a delicately perfumed complexity to a craft gin.
AS
KE-
HE
of sitting on his tasting panel at the Australian Gin Awards for the past two years, and he knows what he’s talking about. He’s really technical and has a great respect for different botanicals.” Luckily for Garden Grown Gin, Philip brings the same detailorientated approach to making gins as he does to judging gins. “A lot of thought has been given to the gin’s botanical make-up and the method used to extract the flavours.” Taking a sip, Mikey says it’s a great example of an Australian contemporary gin. “The taste is elegantly floral
with balanced juniper, a touch of soothing camomile and savoury hints. The peppery finish makes it a wellrounded gin.” For a floral and slightly savoury G&T, Mikey suggests mixing with it the Violet Blossom Tonic, or letting the gin’s perfume notes really shine for themselves with the Classic London Tonic. Take things to the next level with a fruity, slightly spicy Autumn Cup featuring Pimm’s and ginger wine, or grab a bottle of vermouth and add a splash of crème de violette (also known as liqueur de violette) to serve an eye-catching Violet Blossom Sour.
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2020
DOUBLE GOLD
And the winner is Awards represent a huge industry seal of approval. We take a look at the
San Francisco World Spirits Competition
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– one of the most influential awards events in the world – and the Aussie gins that took out the silverware.
2020 Winners As one of the most influential competitions out there, we’re thrilled to see several Australian success stories from this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition. You can support these home-grown distilleries
by adding a few bottles to your wish list. Double-gold medals are awarded to entries that have received a gold medal rating by all the members of the judging panel and, in this year’s Classic Gin category, that included:
D OU B L E GO L D C L ASS I C GIN NEVER NEVER DISTILLING CO. TRIPLE JUNIPER EXPORT STRENGTH GIN South Australia
ADELAIDE HILLS DISTILLERY 7 8° D E S E R T G I N South Australia
POLTERGEIST UNFILTERED GIN Tasmania
APPLEWOOD DISTILLERY NAVY STRENGTH GIN South Australia
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F
ounded in 2000, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) is one of the oldest competitions of its kind. Attracting almost 3,000 entries from around the world, it represents an incredible opportunity for renowned distillers to showcase their latest accomplishments and for smallbatch producers to gain the recognition they deserve. Having a medal on your bottle can do wonders for a gin – opening it up to new opportunities and boosting awareness, while securing its spot as an internationally acclaimed tipple.
THE JUDGING PROCESS Swirl, sniff, sip, repeat. It’s all in a day’s work for the SFWSC’s panel of industry experts, which includes drinks journalists, spirits retailers and beverage directors. With double-gold, gold, silver and bronze medals up for grabs across a number of gin-themed categories, every
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entrant wants the pique the interest of the judges’ palates. With an emphasis on integrity and impartiality, the San Francisco event features a series of blind tastings. From the producer to the price point, judges aren’t told anything about the gins they are tasting and are advised to evaluate each one based on its individual merits. On the final day of the awards, the gins that have been awarded double-gold are contenders to be named ‘Best in Category’ and ‘Best in Show’.
EYES ON THE PRIZE Many might describe the SFWSC as the Olympics of gin awards, but there are plenty of other big-hitting competitions in the calendar, such as the recent World Gin Awards (held on February 27). Covering a range of categories, Four Pillars from the Yarra Valley was named country winner in both the Contemporary
FL AVOUR E D G I N Australia also excelled in the Flavoured Gin category this year, securing several gold medals along with a double-gold. LACEYS HILL DISTILLING CO. LEMON MYRTLE DRY GIN Queenland
36 SHORT BLOOD ORANGE GIN South Australia
THE WEST WINDS GIN THE WILD PLUM GIN Western Australia
MANLY SPIRITS LILLY PILLY PINK GIN New South Wales
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What ’s the difference? Different distillers strive to make different gins, just as different styles lend themselves to different cocktails. If you’re having trouble figuring them all out, the World Gin Awards defines the most common categories as:
CONTEMPORARY STYLE GIN
LONDON DRY GIN
Gins with flavour profiles where juniper is still discernible, but other flavours such as citrus, spice and floral notes are more prominent than in a Classic Gin.
Juniper-forward, traditional-style gins made using the London Dry production technique, which means all flavours must be imparted via distillation, with only water and neutral spirit to be added after distillation.
OLD TOM GIN
FLAVOURED GIN
Produced to replicate the historical style of Old Tom, whether that be botanically intense, sugar-sweetened or botanically sweetened.
Features the addition of fruit or other botanicals, typically via infusion or maceration, and can be sweetened. This category includes flavoured versions of gins from other categories, such as Old Tom.
CLASSIC GIN
Features a clean base spirit with a neutral flavour that allows the distilled flavours of the botanicals to come through. The gin is juniperforward and other common botanicals include angelica root, coriander seed, orris root and citrus peel.
MATURED GIN
Must have been matured in or with wood, including the use of barrels, chips or staves. Many competitions have a specific Barrel-Aged Gin category.
All must be bottled at a minimum of 37.5% ABV.
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Style Gin (for its Spiced Negroni Gin) and Old Tom Gin (for its Experimental Series) categories, while the Country Winner in the Classic Gin category was awarded to Big Tree Distillery’s Elegant Dry Gin. Other gins topping the Aussie charts were Manly Spirits in the London Dry Gin category and, in the Flavoured Gin category, The West Winds Gin’s The Wild Plum gin, with judges’ comments saying: “Rich fruit nose. Lovely rich jammy plum notes come through on the palate with a thick sweetness towards the finish.”
more of its aroma, it’s time to ‘nose’ the gin by gently sniffing – avoid inhaling too much as it will be overpowering. Take a sip and let the liquid rest on your tongue before swirling it around your mouth – what flavours can you detect? And what flavours linger once you’ve swallowed the gin?
NEEDLE & PIN SPIRITS’ RIVERLAND DRY GIN WON GOLD FOR BEST LABEL DESIGN
In addition, we all appreciate an Instagram-able gin from time to time, and it seems the judges do too, with South Australia’s Needle & Pin Spirits’ Riverland Dry Gin taking gold for best label design.
TASTING TIPS Make like a pro and get to know a gin by sampling it neat. Pour your chosen gin into a glass with curved sides as this will capture the fragrance. Having swirled the liquid around the glass to release
Take your taste test to the next level by placing your hand firmly over the top of the glass and tipping some of the gin into your palm. Cup your hands and smell the spirit from there. In addition, sniffing the back of your hand in between sips will reset your senses.
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Fragrant Cocktails FOUR
Royale
GARDEN
A combination of dry Barossa Shiraz Rosé, native Illawarra plums and strawberry gum makes the Regal Rogue Wild Rosé Vermouth a deliciously fruity and spicy companion to the Garden Grown Gin.
Enjoyable at any time of year, but ideal when the temperature’s warmer and the barbecue’s fired up. Serve in a tall glass filled with lots of ice.
INGREDIENTS
30mL Garden Grown Gin 30mL verjuice 100mL sparkling mineral water Soft herbs
METHOD
METHOD
20mL Garden Grown Gin 20mL Regal Rogue Wild Rosé Vermouth 15mL Aperol 40mL dry sparkling wine Dill
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Spritz
GARDEN
Add ice to a mixing glass and pour over the gin, Vermouth and Aperol. Stir until cold and then strain into a champagne flute. Top up with sparkling wine and garnish with a sprig of fresh dill.
INGREDIENTS
Pour all the ingredients into a tall glass, add lots of ice and stir. Garnish with a bouquet combination of any soft herbs, like tarragon, dill, mint, bay leaves etc.
TIM PHILLIPS
Martini GARDEN
Create the perfect Garden Grown Gin cocktail with these recipes, developed by renowned Australian bartender Tim Phillips. After starting his bartending career at Melbourne’s Black Pearl, Tim travelled the world – mixing drinks at both London and New York’s Milk & Honey venues along the way. These four cocktails, including the signature Garden Spritz, promise a burst of floral refreshment.
Blossom GARDEN
This aromatic Martini features herb oil, which can be made by blending 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1/2 cup olive oil with dill and coriander leaves, and half a stem of lemongrass. Let the mix sit for 24 hours to extract the natural chlorophyll, then pass through a muslin cloth and bottle the oil.
Grape and grain makes for a delightful and delicious twist. Serve in an Old Fashioned glass or whisky tumbler. For the tonic water, use either Indian or Mediterranean depending on your preference.
INGREDIENTS
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
METHOD
40mL La Quintinye Vermouth Royal Blanc (or other sweet vermouth) 25mL Garden Grown Gin 5mL Bénédictine 6 drops herb oil
Pour the Vermouth, gin and Bénédictine into a chilled coupe or rounded glass and garnish with six drops of herb oil.
10mL Botrytis Semillon sticky wine 30mL Garden Grown Gin 70mL tonic water Lemon
Pour all three ingredients into a glass over ice, stir and garnish with a lemon wedge.
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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 6 or 12 months, visit www.ginsociety.com
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