Four Pillars has released its fifth Distiller Series Gin: Four Pillars Green Apple & Rhubarb Gin, a collaboration with Warner’s Distillery in the UK.
Like most ‘good’ stories involving Brits and Aussies, the idea for this gin started with a drink in a pub, that led to discourse on cricket, humour, beer, rivalry and god knows what else. And not surprisingly, during this whole lot of chat, it actually became evident that Warner’s and Four Pillars had quite a lot in common.
“We both love a good time and a good drink; we’re both passionate about sustainable distilling using real, local ingredients to achieve big, natural flavours and we both try to bring a sense of place to gin through the use of native ingredients,” said Four Pillars distiller Cam Mackenzie.
Cam Mackenzie of Four Pillars and Tom Warner of Warner’s took inspiration from their top respective ingredients: Victorian Shiraz grapes and rhubarb, deciding on a collaboration that would involve a swap: Four Pillars would use rhubarb and the Warners shiraz grapes.
Naturally, the starting point for the Four Pillars Green Apple & Rhubarb Gin, was freshly pressed rhubarb juice spirit, complemented with fresh Yarra Valley apples.
Into the pot of the still went juniper, coriander and lemon myrtle, wattle seed and cacao, and nutmeg, cloves and cassia, as well as ginger. To the botanical basket went lemons and local Pink Lady apples, with the oils from the lemon rind in particular adding another hit of acidity to cut through the warmth, spice and sweetness.
Post-distillation, three separate liquids were blended into the gin: rhubarb juice, apple juice and an apple cider spirit.
The resulting gin is apple and rhubarb crumble in a glass.
The Four Pillars Green Apple & Rhubarb Gin is 41.8% ABV and can be bought online and from the Four Pillars Healesville Distillery and Four Pillars Surry Hills Laboratory and local bottle shops for RRP $88.00.
