The West Winds Gin

THE WEST WINDS GIN JOURNEY BEGAN WHEN FOUR INTREPID AND ADVENTUROUS AUSTRALIANS DECIDED TO REALISE A VISION - TO CREATE SOME “DAMN FINE GINS FROM AUSTRALIA”, AND THIS FOUNDING MOTTO HAS STUCK WITH THE BUSINESS EVER SINCE.

WHAT BETTER PLACE THAN THE Margaret River they thought; three of the four were born in WA and all could see the potential that the region’s wild, clean and pure characteristics could lend to their gin.

The founding partners of The West Winds have all added their own unique elements to the whole - 2005 42BELOW Cocktail World Cup Champion, Jason ‘Jackie’ Chan has used his extensive knowledge in mixology to develop The West Winds’ style, while engineer and experienced distiller, Paul White, has helped Jason bring his ideas to fruition. Spirits industry identity (and according to the other founders “resident lunatic”) Jeremy ‘Jez’ Spencer, and James ‘Mayo’ Clarke, who had previously worked in Australia’s wine industry, are in control of the Sales, Marketing, Strategic and Promotional reins, helping to drive, steer and deliver The West Winds Gins to the world market.

Jason wanted to create two gins that would sit at the core of West Winds’ portfolio – The Sabre and The Cutlass. These gins would also establish The West Winds’ unique standpoint; unlike any others on the market, one would have a strong undercurrent of citrus flavours whilst the other more pronounced savoury notes - both incorporating native Australian botanicals such as Australian Wattleseed (The Sabre) and native Australian Bush Tomato (The Cutlass), and each being cut with Margaret River rain water.

Within a matter of weeks of the blends being decided, both gins were in bottle and sitting centre stage at the 2011 San Francisco International Spirits Competition. Judges were so impressed with the concept to create contemporary styled, Australianmade gins from native ingredients, that they awarded both medals. The Sabre picked up Gold, while The Cutlass became the first gin made by an Australian producer to have ever received Double Gold – a win that was repeated at the competition in 2013.

In 2014, The West Winds brought out its popular Navy Strength style, dubbed The Broadside, which to no surprise went on to receive numerous awards, including Double Gold at the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition and Gold at the 2015 New York International Spirits Competition, where The West Winds was also named Gin Distillery of the Year for Australia.

Jason, Paul, Jeremy and James’ creative nous, technical expertise and business acumen continues to win them fans across the world and there are plans currently underway to extend The West Winds family. The West Winds Margaret River distillery and cellar door (provisionally named The West Winds House of Fun and Distilling) is set to open mid-2016 and there are several new releases planned for the near future. ❧

ABOVE: The West Winds Gin still, affectionately named Captain Pugwash.

LEFT: The Sabre and The Cutlass...damn fine Gins.