For the Dad who has everything…how about a bottle of his favourite spirits for a celebration to remember come Sunday, September 3?
It is a golden era for the production of spirits in Australia – in just a few decades, the distilling industry has gone from cottage industry to national powerhouse making everything from gin to rum, whisky and vodka, that rival global distillers.
Here are six ways to tell Dad, Yoda best:
Drop in to visit The Grove Distillery on Carter Road in Wilyabrup to taste award-winning spirits and liqueurs while enjoying great food. Expect delicious meals, good cheer and better spirits at this rustic venue, nestled in the heart of Margaret River Wine Country.
Warm the soul with The Grove’s single-malt whiskies, such as the maple cask collectors’ series, while sampling dishes made with seasonal and locally sourced ingredients.
Crafting the spirit of King Island and keeping people smiling since 2014, King Island Distillery on Racecourse Road in Currie creates spirits with love and attitude. The brainchild of ‘Happy’ Heidi Weitjens, this is one of the few distilleries solely owned and operated by a woman, where a range of artisan spirits are meticulously distilled in a pair of custom copper ‘Angel’ stills.
Think drops like the Distiller Choice Tasmanian whisky, not just a spirit but a phenomenal experience softened by KI Cloud Juice – the only bottled rainwater company in Australia – or signature Native Gin, distilled with native coastal ingredients.
Using sustainably sourced native botanicals, Penni Ave Distillery on Peninsula Avenue in Rye aims to change our perceptions of flavoured vodka. Located on the Southern Mornington Peninsula and one of few dedicated vodka distilleries in Australia, Penni Ave is 100% Australian-made and owned – plus 100% delicious.
From a copper still named Walter come drops such as lemon myrtle and Kakadu plum vodka or wattleseed and burnt honey, best enjoyed in signature cocktails such as the Kakadu Mule with mint, finger lime and ginger.
A labour of love from hand-picking native botanicals to distillation, Maria River Distillery in Crescent Head is a unique Australian small-batch producer. Locally farmed, responsibly sourced and sustainably distilled, this distillery grows juniper, coriander, citrus and botanicals onsite to produce gin, limoncello and the world’s first blend of gin and limoncello.
MRD Gin is well-balanced with a depth of flavour from floral and herbaceous notes to subtle, almost strawberry-like sweetness with a peppery twist in the lingering, dry finish; serve Dad a gin with lemon and light tonic to bring out the citrus flavours.
Find Burleigh in a bottle at boutique distillery Wildflower Gin on Scottsdale Drive in Varsity Lakes. This Gold Coast distiller produces an award-winning signature gin which is based on the subtle flavours added by the founder’s bees as they visit Burleigh flowers, allowing locals the ability to contribute to the gin with flowers from their own backyards.
Drop in with Dad on Sunday for a tasting and enjoy cocktails such as a Dark Wild Oaked Negroni, sign up for a masterclass where you can create your own spirit, or take a distillery tour before purchasing a bottle like the rye oaked gin to take home.
Bringing new life and passion to the distillery while still honouring its rich history, Milton Rum on Collingwood Street in Albion offers a range of craft spirits designed to excite and inspire a new age of rum drinkers. The original distillery was one of Australia’s largest rum producers for its time and was washed away in flood waters in 1890 – it never reopened and no rum was produced for more than 100 years.
Fast forward a few generations and Milton Rum has awakened with a fresh approach to the spirit scene; order Dad a bottle of Limited Edition Brabo Rum online – inspired by MMA and fitness guru Robert Drysdale, with the first batch hand-signed.
