MODERN AUSTRALIAN MAKERS CREATING THE WORLD’S MOST DELICIOUS AND AWARDED RANGE OF CRAFT GINS.
THE ORIGIN
It all started back in 2013 with three mates and one extraordinary copper still. Six years later, in 2019, Four Pillars Gin was named the world’s leading gin producer by the IWSC in London. They won again in 2020, making Australia’s favourite gin officially the world’s best. In 2022 they became Australia’s first certified carbon neutral gin distillery, and later in the year their sustainability efforts were recognised on a global scale with the IWSC awarding them the inaugural Green Spirits Initiative trophy.
Four Pillars Gin make their famous gin in Australia; the most delicious, diverse and creative place on earth. And that’s why they get to combine intense creativity around gin with a huge passion for hospitality and gin-fuelled fun. We visited the place at the end of the road leading from the main drag from the Healesville quaint town, on Lilydale Road, and saw tourists, both domestic and international, awaiting to sample and to tour this renowned gin entity.
THE VISIT AND GIN TASTING TOUR
We sampled and tasted the original Four Pillars Gin; truly a classic but delicious gin with great citrus, lemon-driven and spicey; feeling the gap with a mouthful of whole, fresh oranges is what is being used in this gin which is marvelous and Australian citrus is highly aromatic, which is what we like and it truly lends to the structure of spicier botanicals like cardamom, cinnamon and star anise to the overall flavour and tone; we were told that the Tasmanian pepperberry leaf is being added to give it a feeling of warmth and the lemon myrtle added dimensions of complexity to the overall taste.
The Bloody Shiraz Gin, we next sampled, had notes of juniper, raspberries, and heady spices. It was spice-driven, characteristics and hints of berries started to flow through, along with a bitter and minty expression of rosemary and beetroot. So when Gin was first combined with Yarra Valley grapes, the outcome was brilliant, and the crazy experiment using their original Rare Dry Gin steeped with local cool climate Shiraz grapes has become a cult-favourite, the perfect balance of sweet fruit and ginny goodness. They took this to another level by combining it and bottling it in a limited-edition design by Australian artist, Luke Lucas, so the enjoyment lasts.. one that you can treasure and re-use long after the purple gin is gone.... so from its dark purple colour to its natural grape sweetness, it’s the perfect balance of citrus, spice, sweet fruit and ginny goodness; just simply brilliant!
DISTILLING PROCESS
The process of making great gin is an art, to maximise both purity of spirit and concentration of flavour. To begin, they get their base grain spirit from Bomaderry on the south coast of New South Wales in Australia, which sources wheat from around 6,000 farmers across the state. Wheat creates an incredibly clean spirit and Australia has a global reputation for high-quality produce and production. The grain spirit is diluted to around 30% ABV and 450 litres are pumped into the belly of the still known as the ‘pot’. They then add their dry botanicals directly into the pot with the base spirit, around ten different dry seeds, leaves and roots.
THE BOTANICALS
Four Pillars use an entire plethora of botanicals sourced from cities and regions all across the globe, and that sets them apart from the competition; they do it better. Orange and Dried Apple from Australia, Juniper from Macedonia, Macadamia Nut, Lemon Myrtle and Ginger from Queensland, Coriander from South Australia, Pepperbery from Tasmania, Angelica from Netherlands, Green Cardamon from Guatemala, Star Anise from Vietnam, Cassia from Sri Lanka, Lavender from Yarra Valley, Red and Green Sichuan from China, Cubeb from Indonesia, Turmeric from Nepal, Grapefruit from Victoria, Grains of Paradise from Ghana, Finger Limes from NSW North Coast, Quandong from Western Australia, Sencha Genmaicha from Japan, Yuzu from Ovens Valley - these are some of the powerful flavours flowing into their Gin enterprise!
DISTILLERY TOUR
From Monday to Thursday, visitors can join them for a guided tour of their Healesville Distillery where one of their team members will take you behind the portholes to show you their gin stills, their botanicals and their solera of barrels doing the important job of ageing gins. Then it's down to their bottling line, their bar and everything in between. When the tour is over, it's time for a Gin&Tonic paddle (RRP $15) in Beth's Bar or Jude's Gin Garden. And on your way out you can grab your favourite 700mL bottle of gin from their Gin Shop for $10 off.
LOCATION Four Pillars Distillery 2 Lilydale Rd Healesville, VIC 3777 CONTACT Phone: 1800 374 446 (1800 FPG GIN) Email: info@fourpillarsgin.com.au
OPENING HOURS Sun - Thu: 10.30am - 5.30pm (last drinks 5:15pm) Fri - Sat: 10.30am - 9pm (last drinks 8:45pm)
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