SALT CELLAR
Beach Tree Distilling Co
SENSATIONAL SPIRITS WORDS STEVE LESZCZYNSKI
PARDON THE PUN, but it’s fair to say that spirits are high on the Sunshine Coast as the region sees a boom in distilleries emerging around the landscape. It was only a couple of years ago that the first distillery opened its doors. Fast forward to 2022 and nine can be accessed from the hinterland to the coast and that number is set to increase in coming months. Here’s a quick scoot around the Coast to wet your whistle. Woombye’s CAVU Distillery, producers of the brands Sunshine & Sons and Nil Desperandum, was the second distillery to swing open its doors and they have gone from strength to strength. The extensive range of gins, vodkas and now rum is available nationally. Locals can drop by seven days a week and kick back with a cheese platter to go through the extensive range. Head distiller Adam Chapman’s winemaking background ensures that he makes the most of the terroir so his absolute desire to use local produce is no surprise. A recent addition to the Sunshine & Sons range is a Pineapple Parfait Gin, which he cheekily refers to as a “tooty fruity gin”. Some exceptional experimentation went on to concentrate the flavours for this incredibly unique gin. Adam’s vision was to create the Hawaiian Hilton buffet in a glass and he’s nailed it. Refreshing pineapple is laced with passionfruit and a lime twist 54
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on close. Touched up with desiccated coconut to give the taste of a wafer and using a high vanilla bean concentrate, he has achieved a creamy mouthfeel. Best enjoyed with soda or tonic, this is one out of the box. Adam has also created a Coffee Rum made from 50/50 rum and cold-pressed Segafredo coffee before adding double-roasted local Nutworks macadamia nuts, which have been soaked for six weeks. To wrap your lips around an ‘alcoholic malteser’, it is suggested you pour 40ml of the Coffee Rum, 40ml of a good white rum and 80g of vanilla ice-cream in a shaker. Bliss. But rum is the thing that gets this distiller’s excitement levels pounding. The launch of Nil Desperandum is the pinnacle of the brand. What sets this rum apart from the rest is that it is Australia’s first organic rum, aptly name FIRST. Cane is organically farmed in Bundaberg before being processed at a certified mill. Organic molasses being the key ingredient, Woombye water and yeast are complemented with sherry-soaked oak barrels and Adam couldn’t be more thrilled with the result. Expect to find vanilla and chocolate, subtle orange, candied pineapple and dried fruits in the form of figs and raisins. And the best way to enjoy this debut release? Neat on ice.
SALT
3/06/2022 10:07:22 AM
