FROM SHEEP WHEY GIN TO BILL LARK TO THE TASSIE GIN TRAIL A N D M O R E…
BIRCHS BAY, TASMANIA 40 MINUTES SOUTH OF HOBART IS THE HOME OF SHEEP WHEY GIN, MASTERFULLY CREATED ON THE FARM OF GRANDVEWE CHEESES AND HARTSHORN DISTILLERY.
FOUNDER’S
WELCOME This month, Gin Society heads south to Tasmania with the very special Sheep Whey Gin. My personal favourite Australian gin, it was awarded Gold at the World Gin Awards in 2018. This unique spirit from Hartshorn Distillery in Tasmania is made using sheep whey, a by-product of their sister business, Grandvewe Cheeses. The first sheep whey spirit in the world, it’s made with juniper and six native Australian
OUR GIN OF THE MONTH, SHEEP WHEY GIN FROM HARTSHORN DISTILLERY TOOK HOME GOLD AT THE 2018 WORLD GIN AWARDS.
botanicals. They include lemon myrtle, anise myrtle, wattleseed, Tasmanian pepper leaf and two secret botanicals – an Australian native flower and an Australian sweet grass – that have never been used in a gin before. In this issue, we also chat to industry legend Bill Lark. Bill is credited with starting the whisky and gin industry in Tasmania after opening the Lark Distillery in 1992, the first since prohibition was implemented in 1838. We also help you plan your ultimate gin-venture with the Tassie Gin Trail, a guide to gin cellar doors across the beautiful island state. Then we sit down with Ash Turner, bar manager at Hobart’s IXL Long Bar at The Henry Jones Art Hotel, who reviews Sheep Whey Gin and shares a special cocktail recipe that members can make at home. We hope you enjoy this month’s gin. Drop us a line and let us know what you think at hello@ginsociety.com.
Andrew Burge Founder, Gin Society
VISIT US AT WWW.GINSOCIETY.COM
TURNING THE WEIRD INTO THE WONDERFUL EACH OF SHEEP WHEY GIN’S DISTINCTIVE BLACK BOTTLES IS HAND-PAINTED TO CREATE THEIR UNIQUE LOOK.
S H E E P
W H E Y
G I N
UNSEEN BEFORE IN THE WORLD OF GIN, THIS UNIQUE SPIRIT FROM HARTSHORN DISTILLERY IN TASMANIA IS MADE USING SHEEP WHEY, A BY-PRODUCT OF THEIR SISTER BUSINESS, GRANDVEWE CHEESES. WE SAT DOWN WITH DIRECTOR AND SELF-TAUGHT MASTER DISTILLER RYAN HARTSHORN TO TALK ABOUT HIS AWARD-WINNING SHEEP WHEY GIN.
GRANDVEWE CHEESES AND HARTSHORN DISTILLERY ARE LOCATED ON 80 ACRES OF FARMLAND IN BIRCHS BAY.
S H E E P C H E E S E A N D S P I R I T S Head 40 minutes south of Hobart and you’ll find yourself in picturesque Birchs Bay, home of Grandvewe Cheeses and Hartshorn Distillery. Sitting on 80 acres of pristine farmland overlooking the D’Entrecasteaux Channel and Bruny Island, the combined farm, sheep dairy, cheesery, and microdistillery feels a world away from the gentle busyness of Tasmania’s capital. Established in 2002, Grandvewe Cheeses is the family business of Ryan, his mother Diane Rae and sister Nicole Gilliver. The only organic sheep cheesery in Australia, Grandvewe makes and sells products created from sheep milk, including cheese, ice cream, yoghurt and fudge, as well as other farm-grown gourmet foods, like smallgoods and pinot paste.
GRANDVEWE CHEESES ARE THE ONLY ORGANIC SHEEP CHEESERY IN AUSTRALIA.
Driven by a desire to start his own business and expand Grandvewe’s offering, Ryan, a few years before opening Hartshorn Distillery in 2016, bought a little copper still off eBay and started experimenting with distilling. “No one in Tassie at that time was teaching distilling. I didn’t have any contacts to learn from, so I went online. Every night for a year, I would work during the day, go home, and I’d just read online forums to learn about it,” he explains. He planned to open his own distillery, but always wanted to tie it to the family business. “The whole time I was thinking, ‘How can I make the distillery relevant to the cheesery?’”
W H E R E M E E T S Conservation and innovation have always been integral to Grandvewe’s operating philosophy, particularly as an organic cheesery. Grandvewe’s main building, Ryan says, is fully solarpowered, uses solar hot water, and its toilet effluent is treated on the farm and then pumped out as fertiliser onto their paddocks. A recent focus has been to heavily reduce the use of plastics throughout the business. It’s what led Ryan to explore how he could repurpose byproduct from the cheesery and use it in the distillery. Sheep whey – which is often discarded in the cheese-
S C I E N C E S P I R I T S making process – became his focus. Armed with a business degree but no science background, Ryan began researching how sheep whey could be used in the production of spirits. Working in collaboration with the laboratory Grandvewe used for their cheese testing, Ryan identified how to convert the complex sugars found in the sheep whey protein into basic sugars. These were then fermented into alcohol and eventually distilled. “We’ve now got the first sheep whey spirits in the world.”
RYAN IDENTIFIED HOW TO CONVERT THE COMPLEX SUGARS FOUND IN SHEEP WHEY PROTEIN INTO BASIC SUGARS, WHICH ARE THEN FERMENTED INTO ALCOHOL AND DISTILLED.
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BEST ENJOYED NEAT - RYAN HARTSHORN
SHEEP WHEY GIN HAS A DELICATELY SWEET BOUQUET, WITH SOFT PETAL AND CITRUS AND FRESHLY CUT HAY.
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T R U E A R T I S A N G I N Hartshorn Distillery’s first spirit was vodka, with gin following soon after. His Sheep Whey Gin is made with juniper and six native Australian botanicals. They include lemon myrtle, anise myrtle, wattleseed, Tasmanian pepper leaf and two secret botanicals – “an Australian native flower and an Australian sweet grass” – that have never been used in a gin before. Sheep Whey Gin is unfiltered, which helps retain the character and complexity of the spirit. The end result is a gin that has a delicately sweet bouquet, with soft petal and citrus aromas and a hint of freshly cut hay, a mild, creamy texture, and a smooth finish. “My absolute preferred way to drink it would be neat,” Ryan says. “If you want, you can put a fresh rose petal in it neat.” A martini is his next recommendation. While
CURRENTLY LOCATED IN THE CHEESE FACTORY’S BASEMENT, HARTSHORN DISTILLERY WILL BE UPGRADED AND THE SPACE EXPANDED LATER THIS YEAR.
many gin enthusiasts like a classic G&T, Ryan suggests swapping out tonic for soda water and using an Australian flower as a garnish. But, if you must, he advises opting for a lighter tonic and using even ratios: “So 30mL of spirit, 30mL of tonic.” Around 80 bottles of gin are produced in each batch. “Right now we’ve just ramped up production, so we’re seven days a week.” Made using two stills, a pot still and an eight-plate column reflux still, all the botanicals in Sheep Whey Gin are vapour-infused. The botanicals are later repurposed in the cheesery. “Obviously, the waste from our cheese factory I’m turning into alcohol. Then my waste from the gin I’m giving back to the cheesery. All our botanicals that have been put through the still are then put on the outside of our Gin Herbalist cheese.”
AFTER THE BOTTLES ARE PAINTED AND HAVE DRIED, THE MASKING TAPE IS PEELED OFF TO REVEAL A WINDOW AND A WAX SEAL IS APPLIED BY HAND.
A N A R T Y E D G E
A B I G Y E A R A H E A D
Each of Sheep Whey Gin’s distinctive black bottles is hand-painted. “I wanted to make something really special,” says Ryan of creating a bottle people would want to showcase in their home bars.
Last year was a big one for the humble distiller, with Hartshorn Distillery winning Gold at the World Gin Awards, alongside taking out World’s Best Vodka at the World Vodka Awards. Ryan says much of his 2019 will be spent on the road, as a brand ambassador and working to build the export sales of the business.
“We do a white undercoat, then a black topcoat, and hand-tape the window [the clear panel at the bottom of the bottle] with masking tape. It dries over about a four-day period and then each label is handwritten and the black wax seal is applied by hand.”
Image credit: Hartshorn Distillery
In the early days of the business, Ryan painted and labelled each bottle himself. His team now oversees it but he still hand-signs each one. Committed to keeping his range concise and of the highest standard, Ryan says, “Instead of changing the spirit, I change the bottle.” Recent limited-edition Sheep Whey ranges have included an art series (where local artists created one-off artworks on the bottle), and charity bottles, which are raffled off to raise funds for a chosen not-for-profit.
The distillery, currently located in the cheese factory’s basement, will be upgraded later this year. “It’s still going to be onsite at the same location, but it will be a much bigger space where people can come in and see the whole process of spirits being made. We really want to make it a visitor experience for them.”
http://grandvewe.com.au http://grandvewe.com.au/hartshorn-distillery
THE CRAFTING OF AN INDUSTRY
Bill Lark, Image credit: Lark Distillery
A C H A T W I T H G I N M A S T E R B I L L L A R K
Bill Lark is an industry legend. Often referred to as the godfather of whisky and gin, Bill and his wife Lyn pioneered the distilled spirits industries in Tasmania. We sat down with Bill to find out more about the Lark story.
SUCCESS THROUGH PERSEVERANCE Bill Lark is often cited as the reason why Tasmania’s whisky and gin industries exist. “It’s one of those things where you have to be careful what you say because it just might happen,” Bill says about how he and Lyn came to open Lark Distillery in Hobart in 1992. It was an idea born almost three decades ago while on a fishing trip with his fatherin-law, Max. Enjoying a glass of single malt whisky with some fish they’d just caught in the Tassie highlands, Bill pondered, “I wonder why there isn’t anyone making malt whisky in Tasmania?” Many subsequent conversations shared over glasses of whisky ensued. One was with a retired gentleman who had worked as a distiller in Scotland. Another with the distiller’s son, who made copper stills. “Wherever I went, I just found I was being swept up in this wave of enthusiasm from people wanting to see if we could make whisky in Tasmania.” Soon after, Bill bought himself an antique copper still for $65 at a local auction and started reading about distilling. “It sounded simple. All you needed was malted barley, yeast and water. I didn’t know how to make a brew. I’d never done any home brewing, as such. So I went and visited Cascade Brewery, who I knew were malting their own barley for
beer. They were very excited.” and it’s John Grant from Bill left Cascade Brewery Glenfarclas [Whisky]. I say, armed with all he needed to ‘How can I help you?’ and he start making his own whisky says, ‘No, no, no, Bill. How can and took himself off to I help you? If you’re going to Roseworthy College in South make whisky, will you let me Australia to learn more about help you make good whisky?’” distilling. Off Bill went All was progressing nicely to Scotland, until Bill approached the local where he said he customs office. Intending was “embraced to register the distillery as a with open arms” business and collect his licence, by the Scottish he was promptly told that whisky industry. was impossible. An outdated Many years later, law dating back to 1838 Bill and Lyn’s prohibited distilling of any daughter, Kristy, kind in Tasmania. And while the law was amended in 1901, it only allowed for large-scale commercial stills, not small ones like Bill’s. Determined to right a wrong, Bill met with local MP Duncan Kerr and told him about his problem. Duncan LEARN MORE AND PURCHASE TICKETS AT called federal MP WWW.AUSTRALIANGINAWARDS.COM.AU Barry Jones and, within months, the law was amended to allow was awarded a scholarship to small distilleries. Scotland to learn how to make “And that’s how we got whisky. She now owns and runs started.” Not long after, Lark her own distillery in Tasmania, became the first distillery to Killara, producing premium open in Tasmania for over 150 whisky, gin and vodka. years. While Bill and Lyn had TASMANIA’S armed themselves with as FIRST GIN much knowledge as they could, they still felt somewhat out of While Bill was keen on their depth in the early days. making whisky, it was Lyn who “We were so lucky. Within was drawn to gin. two weeks of getting our “Lyn always wanted to make licence I had a phone call a gin, so she made the first from Scotland. Ten o’clock at gin in Tasmania. She started night and I pick up the phone
THE SYDNEY GIN PALOOZA IS ON FROM 7–9 MARCH 2019.
“Ten years ago, if I was to ask someone what their favourite gin was it would be an international name: Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, Hendricks – one of those gins. If I were to ask that same question now,
a sensational product she called Bush Liqueur. That was the thing that really turned things on its head for us.” The response to Bush Liqueur was phenomenal, and what was initially a side project soon became a new business (in addition to the two they already had!), with the Lark Distillery cellar door opening soon after. After Bush Liqueur, Lyn developed Pepperberry Gin. It is now known as Forty Spotted Gin, a traditional London drystyle gin made with juniper berry, coriander, lemon peel and, of course, Tasmanian pepperberry.
most would come up with an Australian gin. I think that’s just amazing that we now have a market that wants Tasmanian whisky and Tasmanian and Australian gin.”
said, ‘Bill, we’d like to start a distillery’ I’d say, ‘Sure, please let me help you.’ Those words of John Grant were ringing in my ears. If someone is going to make whisky or distil spirits, like gin, it should be good. On my own, I couldn’t create a business, let alone an industry. But with the help of other people making good spirits, we might create an industry – and that’s exactly what’s happened. “Others would say, ‘What are you doing? They are your competition.’ I would say, ‘I don’t see it like that.’ They became my friends and colleagues and we share knowledge, resources and learning. What we found was that we created a really collegial attitude, which I hope will be my legacy to this industry.” While Bill has stepped back from running Lark Distillery (it was taken over by Australian Whisky Holdings), he remains a firm and authoritative presence in the gin scene. In March, Bill will act as head judge at the inaugural Australian Gin Awards in Sydney, which includes a variety of other gin-led events, such as Gin Palooza. Some 180 gins from 66 smallbatch Australian distillers have entered the Gin Awards. How exciting is that?” Bill says. “We truly have created a robust and vibrant spirits industry here in Australia.” Image credit: Lark Distillery’s Forty Spotted Gin
playing around with different Tasmanian botanicals and, along the way, she discovered a Tasmanian botanical called pepperberry, which is now used in a lot of Australian gins. Lyn found that on its own it makes
A TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY Bill is proud of the sense of community Tasmania’s distilled spirits communities fosters. “When we started, we were the first ones. We learnt a lot of things along the way – what to do, what not to do. So when people came to me and
https://larkdistillery.com www.australianginawards.com.au
THE GINSIDER Each month we talk to a Gin Society member or expert on all things gin. This issue we sat down for a chat with Ben Luzz, co-owner of Gin Palace, a much-loved Melbourne institution that’s been serving up first-class gins and cocktails for over two decades. Here, Ben shares his favourite tipples and describes what’s capturing the tastes of Gin Palace drinkers.
Old Tom Old Fashioned Recipe Ingredients: 1 bar spoon of simple syrup (or a cube of sugar) 2 dashes of Angostura bitters 60mL Old Tom Gin Orange peel to garnish Method: Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass with ice. Garnish.
What do you love about gin as a spirit? Its versatility – it’s so mixable. You can pop it in with soda or tonic and sip it on a warm day, or you can go to great lengths to make intricate cocktails with it. It’s definitely a malleable spirit. Do you have a preferred way to drink gin? Depends. I’m old school. I like tonic. I know there’s a big move towards soda but if I’m sipping, I do like a gin and tonic. If I want to taste the gin, I’ll drink a martini. What do you look for in a gin? A lot of things. I look at the base spirit that’s been used, which will give it mouthfeel and the underlying character. I look at the style – whether it’s savoury, citrusy or whatever it is – but it has to be balanced. What’s your personal gin collection like? There’s some East London Liquor Company Gin in there. I’ve got a bottle of Ransom Old Tom, Animus, a bottle of Melbourne Gin Company Single Shot, and a bunch of genevers [Dutch for ‘juniper’, a popular spirit from the Netherlands often considered the ancestor of gin].
Orange, a Protestant Dutchman, became king. King William III came over to England and banned all the wine and brandy – all the French stuff – and brought with him genever, a spirit from Holland. Genever has essentially evolved into what we know as gin today.
What’s something about gin that most people may not know? Gin has historic ties to Holland. After the English Catholic monarchy was kicked out of England, [in 1689] William of BEN LUZZ
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MAKING AN OLD FASHIONED WITH AN OLD TOM OR A GENEVER INSTEAD OF A WHISKY WORKS REALLY WELL.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what three gins would you bring with you and why? I’d bring East London Liquor Company because it is one of my favourites and it’s got lots of cardamom, which I love. NOLET’S Gin, because it’s a little different and it’s got raspberry and peach in it, so it’s kind of like a dessert – so after my coconut dinner, I could drink peaches and raspberries. My third would be a barrel-aged genever, because if I can’t take whisky, I’ll take the next best thing. Any signature gin cocktail recipes or twists you’d like to share? Yes, making an Old Fashioned with an Old Tom or a genever works really well, instead of a whisky. Or, instead of having a gin and tonic, try using a charred grapefruit tonic syrup and adding soda.
How would you describe the Gin Palace to anyone who hasn’t visited before? An ode to the 19-century gin palaces of Melbourne when it was the richest city in the world. There are lots of nice big comfy couches – it’s like the lounge room you wish you could have at home. It’s super comfortable, very relaxed, and you have someone looking after your every need. And it’s open late, so you can sit there till the wee hours. What’s the in-house range of gins like at Gin Palace? Always evolving. We try to keep it at 200-plus gins. There’s been a lot more that have come and gone. There are definitely favourites that stay but there are so many gins out there, so it tends to be that the weak are culled and the strong survive. There are a lot of Australian gins on the market at the moment, so our back bar does represent a lot of those. I’d say the gins are predominantly Australian, but there’s also a selection from almost every country. What are some of the more popular gins at the Gin Palace? What are people drinking at the moment? Australia is a big focus. A lot of customers want Australian gin. Four Pillars have done really well. Their
Gin Palace, Melbourne
Bloody Shiraz Gin is one of those gins that lots of people ask for. Gin Palace is the only bar to housepour Sipsmith, so we do go through quite a bit of that as well.
Any upcoming events at Gin Palace that would interest Gin Society members? We’ve got the owner of East London Liquor Company coming out and he’s going to do a masterclass at Gin Palace in February. In June, we do our ‘Scents of Place’ lunches; we’ve got four distillers along with a kitchen takeover, as it’s a three-course lunch that happens as part of Good Food Month in Melbourne. There’s World Gin Day [Saturday, June 8, 2019] each year, which is our biggest day on the calendar, and then there’s Negroni Week, [June 24–30, 2019]. Plus, our birthday on Melbourne Cup in November – we’re turning 22 this year. Anything you’d like to add? It’s great that we are going through the latest instalment of the gin craze, the likes of which really hasn’t been since the early days in London. It’s a global phenomenon and there are thousands and thousands of gins out there. It’s not a bad thing because it means that everyone has to up their game and make better and better spirits. It’s good for everybody. We are also very lucky to have opened up a gin bar 22 years ago and now we’re riding through the biggest gin craze in Australia ever.
East London Liquor Company Gin
NOLET’S Dry Gin
Bols Barrel Aged Genever
BEN’S DESERT ISLAND GINS
Visit the Gin Palace at 10 Russell Place, Melbourne. They’re open from 4pm to 3am. www.ginpalace.com.au BEN’S GIN GUIDE East London Liquor Company: http://eastlondonliquorcompany.com Ransom Spirits: www.ransomspirits.com Animus Distillery: https://animusdistillery.com Melbourne Gin Company: http://melbournegincompany.com NOLET’S Gin: https://noletsgin.com Four Pillars: www.fourpillarsgin.com.au Sipsmith: https://sipsmith.com
T H E TA S S I E GIN TRAIL Tasmania does so much so well – wine, whisky, beer, gourmet food, delicious produce and, of course, gin. Small it may be, but Tasmania packs a punch with artisan distilleries that make
Road Side Stall at Shene Estate & Distillery [11]
some of Australia’s – if not the world’s – most innovative gins. So pack your bags and head south to explore these mustvisit distilleries on our Tassie gin trail.
Take the ferry in, explore the grounds and grab a meal at one of the on-site eateries, like The Source and Faro. If you really want the full experience, stay the night at one of the luxury MONA Pavilions. The museum is open from Wednesday to Monday from 10am to 6pm.
HOBART Tasmania’s historic capital
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VISIT
SALAMANCA MARKET
is rich in culture
Salamanca Place, Hobart www.salamancamarket.com.au
and charm. It’s
Held every Saturday from 8.30pm to 3pm, the Salamanca Market hosts 300 stalls and is one of Australia’s biggest outdoor markets. While some go for the artisan products, art and crafts, we love it for the many Tasmanian
also the perfect gateway city to start your gin-
producers and growers it brings together. Delicious cheeses, wines, baked goods, produce and spirits (including gin) are just some of what’s on offer.
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EVENTS
Hobart is host to first-class festivals and events year-round. Among them, there’s: Gin-uary, a one-day event showcasing Tassie craft gin, in – you guessed it – January; Taste of Tasmania, a week of all things local food, wine and spirits, in December; and MONA’s winter festival, Dark Mofo (image 3), in June. Be sure to check what’s on when you’re in town. http://ginuaryhobart.com.au www.thetasteoftasmania.com.au https://darkmofo.net.au
venture. Here are a few pointers and do while in the island state.
VISIT
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Image credit: MONA/Rémi Chauvin
on what to see
655 Main Road, Berriedale https://mona.net.au
The fabulous Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is one big reason behind Hobart’s popularity in recent years. Founded by David Walsh in 2011, MONA hosts unique, cutting-edge exhibitions from big-name and new artistic talents in its amazing, partially underground space. This includes two major exhibitions a year (in winter and summer), alongside smaller ones throughout the year.
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Image credit: Alistair Bett, courtesy of the City of Hobart
MUSEUM OF OLD AND NEW ART (MONA)
Image credit: Adam Gibson
Image credit: Mick Ross
BAR
SOCIETY SALAMANCA 22 Montpelier Retreat, Battery Point https://societysalamanca.com
A beautiful bar in historic Battery Point, the focus at Society Salamanca is cocktails, gin and whisky. Their appreciation for our favourite tipple is reflected in a generous menu of local, national and international craft gin from Tasmania. Society Salamanca is open from Tuesday to Saturday.
BAR
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THE GLASS HOUSE Main Deck, Brook Street Pier, Hobart www.theglass.house
Designed by reputed Tasmanian architect Robert Morris-Nunn, this striking glass bar and eatery at the end of Brook Street Pier is owned by local luxury hotel the Islington. Overlooking the Derwent River and Sullivan’s Cove, grab a seat with a view or a stool at the bar and enjoy elegant cocktails, wines and artisan spirits paired with unique share plates.
151 Macquarie Street, Hobart www.ficofico.net
25 Hunter Street, Hobart https://thehenryjones.com/wine-dinelocation/ixl-long-bar
The in-house bar of the boutique Henry Jones Art Hotel, the IXL Long Bar is a cosy and ambient space. Pop in for some live jazz and enjoy bar food, well-made cocktails and a comprehensive drinks menu of fine wines, artisan beer, cider and spirits – including plenty of gin from Tassie and around Australia. RESTAURANT
RESTAURANT
FICO
IXL LONG BAR 4
BAR & RESTAURANT
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FRANKLIN
Led by Oskar Rossi and Federica Andrisani, Fico is a European restaurant with an intimate and relaxed feel. Locally sourced produce and Australian, French and Italian wines are the go here. So grab a table or a seat at the bar and ask their friendly staff for the ‘Let Us Cook For You’ menu – it’s an Italian-inspired culinary experience. RESTAURANT
30 Argyle Street, Hobart https://franklinhobart.com.au
DIER MAKR
Franklin is a chic, minimalist restaurant located in the former old Ford showroom inside Hobart’s historic Mercury Newspaper Building. Headed up by chef Analiese Gregory, the seasonal menu takes a local focus and is complemented by a diverse selection of wines, boutique spirits and beers curated by sommelier Forbes Appleby.
123 Collins Street, Hobart www.diermakr.com
A small, cool bistro in the city, Dier Makr offers an innovative, daily changing tasting menu of dishes that are as delightful to eat as they are presented. Open Wednesday to Sunday for dinner, expect minimal-intervention wines, local, seasonal ingredients and great cocktails.
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Image credit: The Glass House, Hobart
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DISTILLERIES Try gin direct from the cellar
HOBART
door from these
INSTITUT POLAIRE
artisan distilleries in Hobart and across the state. There’s no ‘one way’ to tackle a
for a tasting session that blends the best of Tassie in a glass and on a plate. Try Süd Polaire gins, which are micro-batch-distilled and bottled by hand in Tasmania, or do a tasting experience. Open from Wednesday to Sunday, visitors can purchase Süd Polaire gin and Domaine Simha wine at cellar door prices.
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HOBART
1/7 Murray Street, Hobart www.institutpolaire.com.au www.sudpolaire.com
KNOCKLOFTY
While it may not be a distillery, Institut Polaire is the Hobart-based home of Süd Polaire spirits and Domaine Simha wine, and it’s a must-visit wine and cocktail bar/ kitchen. A chic white space dressed in marble and plush pale-grey leather, take a seat and settle in
Set in the foothills of Knocklofty in West Hobart, this home-based micro-distillery is the brainchild of three couples. Using a still and distillery predominantly made of recycled and second-hand materials, each of Knocklofty’s
West Hobart www.knocklofty.com.au
Tassie gin trail, so arrange a designated driver and create your own itinerary for a trip you won’t soon forget. 7
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LARK DISTILLERY 614 Davey Street, Hobart http://larkdistillery.com
Industry legend Bill Lark established the Lark Distillery in 1992 and in doing so pioneered Tasmania’s artisan whisky and gin industry. Lark make a range of distilled products with their 1800-litre copper pot still and 500-litre spirit still, including Forty Spotted Rare Tasmanian Gin and the more recent Forty Spotted
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Image credit: Grandvewe Cheeses/Hartshorn Distillery
HOBART
Forty Spotted Gin head distiller Rick Hoedjes, Image credit: Lark Distillery
Summer 2018 Gin. Head to their cellar door and whisky bar on the Hobart waterfront to try their gins, while whisky lovers will be tempted by the 150 malt whiskies on offer.
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HOBART
SULLIVANS COVE Established in 1994, Sullivans Cove Distillery is the second-oldest whisky distillery in Tasmania. Originally located in the old brickworks in Hobart’s Sullivans Cove, by 2004 the distillery had relocated to Cambridge. A twentyminute drive from central Hobart, Sullivans Cove Distillery is open seven days a week from 10am to 4pm. While the focus of their distillery tour is whisky, the cellar door gives visitors an opportunity to chat with the distillers, taste a range of products and buy their reputed Hobart No.4 single malt gin.
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BIRCHS BAY
HARTSHORN DISTILLERY & GRANDVEWE CHEESES
8 watch the cheese being made and aged, and visit Hartshorn’s cellar door to taste Sheep Whey Gin straight from the source. There’s also a cafe on-site with ocean views where you can enjoy a meal or drink, many of which are made with products from the cheesery and distillery. PONTVILLE
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SHENE ESTATE AND DISTILLERY 76 Shene Road, Pontville www.shene.com.au
59 Devlyns Road, Birchs Bay http://grandvewe.com.au
Image credit: Grandvewe Cheeses/Hartshorn Distillery
Image credit: Knocklofty
1/10 Lamb Place, Cambridge https://sullivanscove.com
Drive around 40 minutes south of Hobart and you’ll find yourself at Hartshorn Distillery and Grandvewe Cheeses. Here, you can see the sheep being milked at 3pm each day (from October to March),
Shene Estate and Distillery is a historic site that was once the country residence of early colonialist and lawyer Gamaliel Butler. The Kernke family acquired the property, located a half-hour north of Hobart, in 2006, and established a distillery where they make their range of Poltergeist Gin and Mackey Whisky. Shene Estate and Distillery operate gin tours and tastings on Saturday and Sunday by appointment. KEMPTON
OLD KEMPTON DISTILLERY 26 Main Street, Kempton www.oldkemptondistillery.com.au
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The Old Kempton Distillery is housed in Dysart House, an
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12 1842-built, grand old colonial inn. The main residence operates as a cafe serving up hearty country-style meals, while the former stables is the location of its copper stills. They produce a range of handcrafted, small-batch spirits here, including whisky, vodka, liquor and, of course, gin. Embezzler is their London dry style gin offering. Located 40 minutes north of Hobart, Old Kempton Distillery runs daily tours and tastings. SPRING BEACH
SPRING BAY DISTILLERY 6 Hoods Road, Spring Beach www.springbaydistillery.com.au
Owners Cam and Suzy Brett opened Spring Bay Distillery in 2015. Using a 1200-litre Tasmanian-made copper pot still crafted by the highly reputed Peter Bailly of Knapp Lewer, they make both gin and single malt whisky. Made using pure Tasmanian rainwater with nine botanicals, Spring Bay Gin is a soft, sweet and complex gin. Located on the Tasmanian east coast, just over an hour northeast of Hobart, Spring Bay Distillery is open for tours and tastings by appointment.
Image credit: Old Kempton Distillery Embezzler Dry Gin/Osborne Images
spirits is made with a grain-free spirit that’s fermented and distilled on-site, with individually distilled botanicals. Averaging 70 bottles per batch, their range of spirits includes Penn, Juniper and Garden Gins. Tours and tastings at this home distillery are by appointment only.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
RYAN OF HARTSHORN DISTILLERY SUGGESTS VISITORS TO THE REGION EXPLORE THE BEAUTIFUL HARTZ MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK IN SOUTH TASMANIA, WHICH IS HOME TO RUGGED MOUNTAIN RANGES, SMALL GLACIAL LAKES, RAINFOREST, BUSHLAND AND WATERFALLS. “IT’S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO HIKE AND IT HAS A FEW SIMILARITIES TO CRADLE MOUNTAIN – BUT HARDLY ANYONE GOES THERE.”
Hartz Mountains National Park, Tasmania
OUSE
LAWRENNY ESTATE DISTILLING 6485 Lyell Highway, Ouse www.lawrenny.com
Grand Lawrenny Estate sits on the banks of the Derwent River surrounded by green pastures, just over an hour northwest of Hobart, in the town of Ouse in Tasmania’s Central Highlands. Head distiller Joe Dinsmoor – who trained under the revered Bill Lark at the age of 16 and was the first and former master distiller at Sydney’s Archie Rose – produces Lawrenny’s range of premium whisky, vodka, liquor and gin. Visit their cellar door, open daily, and try their Van Diemen’s Gin, which won Gold at the 2018 Australian Distilled Spirits Award, and their 1818 Settlers Gin, which was awarded Silver in the same category. FOUR MILE CREEK
IRONHOUSE 21554 Tasman Highway, Ironhouse Point, Four Mile Creek https://ironhouse.com.au
Ironhouse is a self-described “rock ‘n’ roll brewery, vineyard
and distillery by the sea”. Located on Ironhouse Point in Four Mile Creek, it sits on Tasmania’s stunning northeast coast and is a three-hour drive from Hobart. Ironhouse’s gins, which go under the name Strange Omen, are big, complex and made with their own grape spirit base and nine botanicals. Try them for yourself at a tasting or tour at Ironhouse. DEVONPORT
SOUTHERN WILD DISTILLERY Tenancy 5/13-17 Oldaker Street, Devonport www.southernwilddistillery.com
A more recent addition to Tasmania’s gin scene, Southern Wild makes gins under the name Dasher + Fisher. Head distiller and food scientist by trade George Burgess makes the gins, with fresh botanicals sourced from local growers and pure water. Keeping the Tassie theme going, their copper still was handmade by local craftsmen Stillsmiths. Visit their cellar door in Devonport, a little over an hour from Launceston, to take a distillery
9 Image credit: Hobart No.4 Single Malt Gin, Sullivans Cove Distillery
tour (bookings encouraged) and taste their Dasher + Fisher Mountain, Meadow, and Ocean Gins. FORCETT
NONESUCH DISTILLERY 491 Arthur Highway, Forcett https://nonesuchdistillery.com.au
Nonesuch is a small family-owned and operated distillery located in Forcett, about a 15-minute drive east of Hobart Airport. They practise a philosophy of ‘quality over quantity’, which is reflected in the premium spirits and liquors created by friendly owner and distiller Rex. Nonesuch’s tasty gin offerings include their Dry, Sloe, and Hemp gins. Head to Forcett for tastings and a tour of their distillery. BOOMER BAY
HELLFIRE BLUFF DISTILLERY 55 Craig’s Hill Road, Boomer Bay http://hellfirebluff.com.au
Hellfire Bluff takes its name from the rocky outcrop it overlooks above beautiful Marion Bay on the southeast coast. A familyrun distillery and farm, Hellfire Bluff make Potato Vodka (with potatoes grown on their land), Limoncello, and London Dry Gin with botanicals including orange and coriander. A 45-minute drive from Hobart, Hellfire Bluff ’s cellar door is open on weekdays from 9am to 4pm. PORT ARTHUR
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MCHENRY DISTILLERY 229 Radnor Road, Port Arthur https://mchenrydistillery.com.au
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Located in historic Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula, McHenry Distillery is Australia’s southernmost distillery, producing a range of award-winning whisky, vodka and gin. Their gin offering is generous, and includes their Classic Dry, Summer, Barrel Aged, Navy Strength and Sloe Gins. McHenry Distillery run tours every day of the week, alongside gin-making workshops on Friday.
THE REVIEW:
SHEEP WHEY GIN Each month, a Gin Society expert reviews our featured tipple of the month before concocting a special recipe for our members. February’s mixologist extraordinaire is Ash Turner, bar manager at IXL Long Bar in Hobart. Here’s his take on Sheep Whey Gin.
GIN REVIEW
55 AS H ’ S TAS T I N G N OT E S NOSE
Hartshorn Distillery’s Sheep Whey Gin is a soft and delicate gin with hints of sweet buttermilk and citrus, which reminds me of lemon cheesecake. Beyond that, the aromas of rose petal and fresh straw can be found. PALATE Wattleseed and anise are the first flavours I taste, then there is a heat, perhaps from the slightly higher alcohol beverage volume (ABV) or is it the native pepperberry? The amazing mouthcoating affect this gin has is like nothing I’ve ever come across before, probably because this is the first whey product of its kind. Beautiful! NOTE If you’re going to mix this please don’t add tonic, as this soft and delicate gin would be lost. If you’re going to mix this, I suggest soda or just drinking it over ice.
GIN SOCIETY EXPERT
NAME: ASH TURNER WORKS AT: IXL LONG BAR AT THE HENRY JONES ART HOTEL IN HOBART Ash Turner manages the IXL Long Bar in Hobart, which was voted Best Bar in the Australian Bar Awards 2018 (State Awards for Tasmania). When Ash isn’t mixing drinks behind the bar, he’s experimenting with ingredients, flavours and techniques. His philosophy when creating drinks is centred on the belief that everything has a second use.
F L AV O U R PROFILE Profiled by Ash Turner exclusively for Gin Society.
JUNIPER
60
CITRUS
80
FLORAL
70
HEAT HERBAL SPICE
60
40
60
Graded out of 100
COCKTAIL RECIPE:
A HARTSHORN TWIST ON THE VALENCIA MARTINI This month’s resident expert Ash Turner has created a special cocktail for Gin Society members using Sheep Whey Gin.
60ML SHEEP WHEY GIN 1 5 M L L A G O YA M A N Z A N I L L A S H E R R Y 10ML OLEO SACCHARUM 6 L E M O N V E R B E N A L E AV E S Clap or lightly muddle the lemon verbena leaves in the bottom of a mixing glass. Add the gin, sherry and oleo saccharum, top the mixing glass with ice and stir. Single-strain into a sparkling wine glass and garnish with lemon verbena.
Note: Oleo Saccharum is a citrus sugar syrup made from the zest of citrus fruit, usually lemons or blood oranges. To make it, peel the skin off the citrus fruit, place it in a bowl and toss it with granulated sugar. Leave it to sit for a few hours. The sugar will extract the citrus oil from the peel. Strain, store in an airtight container, chill and use as required.
J O I N G I N
T H E
S O C I E T Y
The Gin Society strives to indulge its members with rare, premium gins that you won’t find at your average local bottle shop. Instead, we look to innovative Aussie makers and intriguing overseas distilleries. We at the Gin Society fell in love not only with the exquisite taste of gin, but also with the stories that surround the distilling and making of this delicious, versatile spirit. It’s what’s driven us to explore and learn more about the fascinating world of gin. Creating gin is both a science and an art form, and we want to share the spirit and its stories with our membership. As keen gin-thusiasts ourselves, we’ve travelled the globe, learning, experiencing and, yes, tasting what’s available for keen gin lovers worldwide. We want to help cultivate gin’s rapidly growing market as well as showcase inventive ways for drinkers to enjoy it that extend well beyond the classic G&T. Whether you’re in it for the cocktails, the events or just the relaxing release of a crisp, classic gin at the end of a long day, the Gin Society is here for you.
S P E C I A L G I F T
W E L C O M E F O R
N E W
M E M B E R S To say thanks for joining the Gin Society, we’re giving all our new members a special gift set – a Spiegelau perfect serve large crystal mixing glass, a copper bar spoon, a copper Hawthorne strainer and a copper bell jigger. It’s the perfect kit for making cocktails with each of the special gins heading your way!
Join us now at GinSociety.com
NEW MEMBER
FREE GIFT
SPIEGELAU PERFECT SERVE LARGE CRYSTAL MIXING GLASS
COPPER BELL JIGGER
COPPER BAR SPOON
WORTH $161
COPPER HAWTHORNE STRAINER
THE GIN SOCIETY PROUDLY BRINGS YOU THE GIN JOURNAL.
WWW.GINSOCIETY.COM
