If you’ve been to Distillery Botanica (previously called St Fiacre Distillery) in Erina NSW, you would have walked along a lush manicured garden that leads to the distillery. Garden Grown Gin is an expression of this summer garden.
Garden Grown Gin – Photo Supplied
At the heart of Garden Grown Gin are juniper and murraya (flower and leaf), the latter contributing hints of jasmine, honeysuckle and orange blossom, reminiscent of the Australian summer garden. Other botanicals include chamomile, sage, orris root and rose – each is distilled separately then blended together by Distiller Philip Moore.
Moore uses a thousand year old process called enfleurage for some of the botanicals, namely rose and murraya. The petals are laid on a metal tray containing solidified coconut oil then covered, allowing the aromas to seep through into the solidified oil. The fat is then placed into a container with alcohol and frozen. The coconut oil solidifies and the alcohol is run off.
The murraya is extracted twice, by enfleurage and by vapour infusion. The former has a much more delicate scent while the latter imparts a jasmine-like aroma. The juniper distillate is obtained by vapour infusion as well as maceration and distillation in the pot still, the latter giving a richer and more resin-like flavour.
German berggarten sage, chamomile from the garden and orris root distillates are obtained via pot distillation. Australian coriander undergoes a 12 hour maceration and distillation process. Orris root, which gives the gin a sweet and viscous mouthfeel with a bitter finish, has a violet scent. Along with the earthy and musky angelica, it holds the gin together.
Garden Grown Gin is not the first gin that Moore has produced. The distillery, which also makes Mr Black Coffee Liqueur, has created the award-winning Moore’s Dry Gin, one of the original Australian craft gins prior to the current resurgence.
Garden Grown Gin Tasting Notes
- Country of Origin: New South Wales, Australia
- ABV: 42%
- Colour: clear, displays some viscosity in the glass
- Nose: highly floral yet the juniper is still prominent, like the scent of a home garden in full bloom, initial nose prickle hints at an ABV higher than 40
- Palate: viscous on the palate, presumably from the enfleurage method, starts with dominant floral notes that lead to orange blossom and end with a peppery spice while the juniper remains present throughout
- Finish: mid to long finish, dry, with a kick of pepper
- RRP: $84.95 AUD, 700 ml
Comments: Garden Grown Gin is a highly floral gin but has juniper at its heart which gives it a good balance. While it may start as a fragranced and feminine gin, the ever presence of the juniper gives a more robust character. Enjoy it in a gin and tonic, preferably one of the lesser fragrant tonics such as Fever-Tree Indian tonic or CAPI Dry. Garden Grown Gin stands up extremely well in a dry Martini. When properly chilled, it highlights the jasmine and floral notes along with underlying orange and a dry peppery kick for balance.
Originally published 16 February 2016. Updated 16 May 2022.
