Saturday 11th June will once again bring in a global celebration of one of the most popular and adaptable spirits in the world: Gin. With so many high quality Australian Gins being produced, plus the current World Negroni Week smashing it with sales of the classic Italian cocktail, the eighth year of this annual celebration has come at the perfect time. Some of our favourite distilleries, bars, and restaurants are getting in on the fun – whether it be just for the day or for a limited run – so check through the below list and go and celebrate all things juniper and botanicals this weekend.
Archie Rose and Vintage Cellars collaborate on limited release (National)
Rosebery based Archie Rose Distilling Co. have teamed up with Vintage Cellars to release 900 bottles of a limited edition Gin created especially for World Gin Day 2016. Titled the Archie Rose Tailored Gin it’s been made to accentuate the botanicals of cassia bark, orange, and Angelica Root, giving it a nice, clean spicy character. It’s available now for an RRP of $84.99 per bottle, sold exclusive at Vintage Cellars across Australia.
For more information click HERE.
Australian Gin masterclass at Gin & It (Sydney)
Head on down to face the sparkling waters near Barangaroo in Sydney and find yourself at Gin & It, the pop-up Gin concept bar from the team behind The Barber Shop. They’ll be hosting a special Australian Gin masterclass from 2-4pm with Ian Glen from Stone Pine Distillery and Manager Petr Dvoracek, both of whom will be guiding guests through a history of Gin and then zoning in on the booming Australian craft Gin industry. Attendees will also be given a choice of 8 from 50 Australian Gins stocked at the bar for a flight each. This will be in addition to a cocktail on arrival, a G&T of your choice, charcuterie and cheese boards, and a trivia quiz with a prize.
Tickets are $69 are can be purchased HERE.
DIY Gin at Archie Rose (Sydney)
In addition to creating a limited edition release, the team at Archie Rose have really gone all out for World Gin Day. Head along to their Rosebery distillery and you’ll have a chance to make your own bottle of Gin using your selection from a range of available botanicals. The team will guide you every step of the wa and help you balanced botanicals such as juniper berry, fresh apple, blood lime, and river mint. Your tailored Gin will then be made on-site at the distillery while you chill out at the Archie Rose bar with signature spirits/cocktails, cured meats, and cheese platters.
The experience is priced at $120 and sessions will run at 2pm and 6pm on the Saturday, with each limited to just 20 people. You can book by e-mailing [email protected] or calling 02 8458 2300.
Check out Tonic Lane (Sydney)
Sydney’s newest dedicated Gin cafe and small bar hybrid in Neutral Bay, Tonic Lane, has timed their opening just right. They’ll be opening up to the public for the very first time on Saturday from 12pm, unveiling a menu of all-Australian Gins and tonics along with all-day cafe food like pulled pork burgers and manchego cheese frittatas. Over 25 Aussie-made Gins are found on the menu, from Hobart to Newtown, all mixed into both classic and specially made cocktails. Tonic Lane is located at Shop 6, 8 Young Lane, Neutral Bay and after Saturday their regular opening hours will be Sun-Wed 7am-10pm and Thurs-Sat 7am-midnight.
For more information check them out on Facebook HERE.
“Mull It Over” at The Botanist (Sydney)
The Botanist in Kirribilli will be hosting a nice and simple event for World Gin Day, helping attendees fight off the cold with their bespoke Mull It Over cocktail. The specially made concoction mixed Rare Dry Gin with fresh orange juice, orange bitters, and mulled wine syrup.
For more information head to their Facebook HERE.
Negroni Week (National)
If you didn’t already know, it’s currently World Negroni Week and will be so until this Sunday 12th June. Bars and restaurants across Australia are offering up specials paying homage to the classic or reinterpreted Negroni with $1 from each sale of Negroni or Negroni related product going to a local charity. For those in Sydney, there’s even some Negroni inspired desserts over at Brewtown Newtown, with the cafe teaming with Campari Australia to offer exclusive Negroni Brewnuts for this week only, a cronut-like dessert blending Negroni and blood orange.
For a full list of what’s on at which bar in your city click HERE.
Mothers Ruin: A cabaret about Gin (Adelaide)
On Sunday 12th June you can head along to the Adelaide Festival Centre for a cabaret performance inspired by the history of Gin. Exploring the history of this spirit through story and song seems like an excellent way to celebrate, even if it doesn’t quite fall on World Gin Day,
For more information click HERE
World Gin Day at Gin Palace (Melbourne)
Of course Melbourne’s famed Gin Palace will be going all out for the day as they usually do. Head along on the Saturday and there will be a bunch of buy-one-get-one-free specials going on for G&Ts, negronis, and martinis. Plymouth Martini will also feature heavily, as will a Gin inspired dessert table from 6pm.
For more information click HERE
World Gin Day at Four Pillars (Melbourne)
Head on out to the Four Pillars distillery in Healesville and you’ll find that they’ve planned a whole heap of events for the Saturday. From 10:30am they’ll be hosting A Bit of Jam and Pickle’s Caroline who will be serving up home made scones with Four Pillars Orange Marmalade. Then from 11:30am Burn City Smokers will be coming with their food truck and parking out front to serve the first-ever Four Pillars Gin Pig, made from feeding local Berkshire pigs leftover botanicals for the last nine months, resulting in pulled gin pork rolls all day.
There’s also a bunch of free tastings throughout the day, and the bar will be serving up their usual gin paddles, G&Ts, and negronis until 9pm.
For more information click HERE.
Talk & Taste with Angry Ant Gin at Pilgrim (Melbourne)
A new Australian Gin will enter the national market on Saturday. Angry Ant, from Bass & Flinders Distillery, is created with botanicals that have been hand-picked from the sustainable Woolen Station in Central Western Australia, drawing flavour from the likes of mulla mulla, purple vetch flowers, native lemongrass, sandalwood nuts, currant bush, and – and I’m not joking – Australian ants. There are 2pm and 4pm tasting sessions and each last for an year.
For more information and to book click HERE (2pm) or HERE (4pm).
DIY Gin at The Howling Owl (Adelaide)
Adelaide’s The Howling Owl will be bringing up Jon Lark from Kangaroo Island’s KIS Distillery for a Bootlegging Gin Master Class during which guests will be able to make their own 200ml bottle of Gin. Those in attendance will also be able to sample South Australian gins with a gin tasting board, including first tastes of a new Barossa Valley gin, soundtrack by DJ’s who will be spinning all night from 4pm to late. There’s even going to a be a Gin wheel of fortune with prizes. Classes are at 3:30pm and 5pm so hurry and book by e-mailing [email protected]
For more information click HERE.
Made in Britain at The Barber Shop (Sydney)
One of Sydney’s best known gin-centric bars will be celebrating World Gin Day with a special event paying homage to classic British cocktails through the years. For $69pp, attendees will be treated to 2 cocktails each, 2 G&Ts, and charcuterie and cheese boards.
More information and bookings can be found HERE.
Australian Gin Dinner at Pialligo Estate (Canberra)
Head along to Pialligo Estate on Kallaroo Road on the Saturday and you’ll find that Phillip Jones, the “Martini Whisperer”, and Nip and Courage have both come on board to host a special Gin degustation menu with bespoke cocktails, award-winning craft gins, and food (like tea-braised pork belly). Martinis will be handed out on arrival, there will be some Martini making classes, and samples of local craft gins throughout the dinner, which is priced at $155pp.
For more information and bookings click HERE
Gin Masterclasses at Dutch Courage Officer’s Mess (Brisbane)
Dutch Courage Officer’s Mess are pulling out all stops for their World Gin Day celebration, which features five events throughout the day, starting with a Tanqueray Blood Mary Brunch and ending with a Hendrick’s masterclass. In between will be showcases of a range of Gins, including Bloom and Four Pillars
For more information head to the official Facebook event HERE.
Hippocampus Gin at Gordon Street Garage (Perth)
Head along to Gordon Street Garage on Saturday and find that Hippocampus Gin have teamed with the venue to present a special evening of gin and food pairing, first taking place at the distillery bar for a guided gin tasting and cocktails before moving to the restaurant to dive into the gin-inspired sharing menu.
The dinner is priced at $70pp and more information/bookings can be found HERE.
A Gin Journey at Mr Walker (Perth)
Mister Walker will be hosting “A Gin Journey” on the Saturday from 7pm, teaming up with their friends at Horizon Events Perth to celebrate all things gin. Those heading along can expect taste testing, cocktails, and gourmet canapes.
For more information/tickets click HERE.
Classic Gin Cocktails
Of course, no one says you have to leave the house to celebrate World Gin Day. It’s also the perfect time to practice your cocktail making skills. Take a quick look at these two classic recipes and spend an hour or two perfecting your serve:
Ultimate G&T
Ingredients
Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water
60ml Four Pillars Gin
Blood orange
Ice
Method
1. Fill a tumbler with ice.
2. Pour gin over ice and top with Fever-Tree Tonic Water. Stir to combine.
3. Garnish with wedge of blood orange and serve.
Tom Collins
Ingredients
30ml The Botanist Gin
Fever-Tree Soda Water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Sugar syrup
1 glace cherry
Ice
Method
1. Fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Pour over gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup.
2. Stir briefly, top with Fever-Tree Soda Water.
3. Garnish with glace cherry and lemon wedge and serve.
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