Flavours of Country

Boodja Gin draws on local botanicals to create a tipple that’s truly a taste of country.

By TORI WILSON.

The first of a new series of gins that work sustainably with the six Noongar seasons has emerged from Harris River Estate Winery and it’s a true reflection of the Wilman Country from which it is made.

The Boodja Gin, meaning country, has been carefully crafted in collaboration with Indigenous company Beelagu Moort using a range of botanicals which, excluding the juniper, have been sourced entirely from Wilman Country in Collie.

Aboriginal healer Phil Ugle of Beelagu Moort says the seasons come into play as he and his team forage sustainably based on traditional Noongar methods.

“It’s taking my bush knowledge and my family knowledge and using that in a new way. This is unique to the south west,” he says.

“Our base for this gin is peppermint and tea tree,

they’re things that are available all year round but some of the other ingredients are only available at certain times of the year, so eventually we’ll end up with six products to reflect the Noongar calendar that will be unique to each season.”

The first Boodja Gin, released in January this year, is reflective of the Kamberang season (October to November). And this soothing, smooth gin is unlike anything else.

The peppermint achieves a cooling effect, while the tea tree adds a hint of sharpness. Combine this with an earthiness from the balga bush (grass tree) and their secret ingredient, which they choose not to reveal to protect the recipe, and we have something spectacular on our hands, or better yet, in our mouths.

Each release of Boodja Gin will carry the same name but will vary in flavour profile to honour the season from which the featured botanicals were foraged.

Harris River Estate has also released a non-alcoholic version of the Boodja gin, which includes all the same healthy and medicinal botanicals but minus the spirit, leaving it as healthy as it gets.

Husband and wife coowners Karl and Julie Hillier say it was a natural progression for Harris River Estate to branch out into spirits. The beverage-making company was founded in 2000 and expanded to encompass a microbrewey in 2000. A Boodja Beer has also been released, featuring the special seasonal concoction of botanicals.

As the winemaker, brewer and now distiller of the company, Karl produced the gin using a grape-based spirit, which is distilled three times before being gently vapour-infused with botanicals during a fourth run. This method means just a small amount of botanical goes a long way.

While Karl is key to the craft, Julie was key to the collaboration.

Having run an Aboriginal youth program at a local school, working closely alongside local Indigenous elders, Julie says the collaboration between Harris River Estate and Phil Ugle was built on a long-term trusted friendship and a true collaborative relationship.

“Phil and his team have the cultural knowledge; they have the insight into what’s in season, the botanical herbs and spices and optimal tastes, what to pick, where to pick and how to pick. And we have advanced beverage making skills, so it’s a true collaboration,” Julie says.

Cuprum joins the fray

Harris River Estate isn’t the only distillery to draw gin-spiration from the south west. With gin continuing to boom across the country and showing no signs of slowing, Cuprum Distillery has set up shop in Bunbury where coowners Mike Honeyball and Stewart Binnie have been working on developing its signature gin.

Both being Bunbury-based

entrepreneurs, Mike and Stewart are just weeks away from releasing Cuprum’s Signature Gin along with a Raspberry Gin, Rosé Vodka and Plain Vodka.

Mike says the smallbatch approach sets it apart, a unique combination of distilling techniques, and their locally crafted collection of copper pot stills which will impart a superior flavour into its spirits.

There’s more in the pipeline to come from Cuprum, too. We can expect to see its special edition Barrel Aged and Truffle Gin early next year, while its rum is currently 18-months away from maturation.

INSPIRED BY NATURE Boodja Gin has been made in collaboration with Indigenous company, Beelagu Moort at Harris River Estate Winery. This page, the Boodja Gin team and Phil Ugle, Aboriginal healer.