Cameron Mackenzie - Four Pillars

IN THE NAME OF GOOD BOOZE

“I like to think of it as our Breaking Bad moment. We were in the process of getting our equipment made and all we had was this little glass lab still. I’m sure people thought were trying to cook crystal meth.”

- Cameron Mackenzie on how he and the Four Pillars crew first started producing gin. As founder, and Master Distiller, Cameron takes us back to when the Victoria-based business was established, the copper pot stills (named after the owners’ mothers) and how he landed his dream job.

PHOTOGRAPHY ANSON SMART

We started with the idea of making a great tonic, and along the way we just thought, ‘why not go all the way and create a great modern Australian gin?’ We spoke a lot about what we didn’t want our product to be. We were adamant, for example, that we didn’t want to it be a London Dry Gin. It’s not that I don’t love it; I just don’t think the world needs any more.

We established Four Pillars Distillery with a clear purpose in mind; we wanted to elevate the craft of distilling in Australia and celebrate the art of cocktail making.

We thought, if we can do that we can help people drink better, not more. If the drinks we created evoked the diverse and cosmopolitan spirit of the Australia we love, we would have the makings of a modern, classic Australian brand. Gin was our first spirit of focus.

For inspiration, we drove from Portland to Los Angeles. We visited distillers and tasted and talked to so many producers. We could see what was happening in North America and in the United Kingdom, but in Australia, nobody was really taking gin by the horns. And we thought, this is a big opportunity if we can get it right. So here we are today, we have a range of modern Australian gins that draw inspiration from everywhere. And the distillery is a reflection of my lifelong pursuit to avoid a real job. But I’ve never worked harder in my life, because I love it. I love what we do.

Not only are we careful in our production process, but we also try to be sustainable in terms of disposable. To make a great gin, it needs to be great from start to finish, and that includes getting rid of the remains. All of our spent botanicals are fed to local pigs. A local jam maker mashes the oranges into marmalade. It’s delicious. And the guy from the dairy farm comes to collect some of the stillage to make cheese. We’re hardly the most sustainable business in the world, but at least we’re trying. We reuse what we have in a way that is responsible and fun.

Moving forward, I see travel; a collaboration with someone in South Africa or Europe, or Japan. I will take my family, so my kids get to see a bit of the world and we will meet really interesting people. We will learn about how they use stills, and I will talk about how I do. We all have different techniques. No two are the same. It’s a fun network to set up with distillers who aren’t in it to make their fortune over night, but to because they love good booze.