Bass and Flinders Distillery crafts new tipple from Red Hill cherries and berries
AN elegant pink gin is joining the line up of handcrafted spirits at Bass and Flinders Distillery.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
AN elegant pink gin is joining the line up of handcrafted spirits at Bass and Flinders Distillery.
The Cerise Gin is the latest seasonal offering from the Red Hill artisanal distillery.
Its delicate blush comes from a unique infusion of Red Hill cherries and raspberries and the flavour is reminiscent of a Turkish delight, said head distiller Wayne Klintworth.
“We also used hibiscus rosella which contributes to the colour.
“There’s also coriander, a hint of orange and of course, juniper.”
The ingredients are vapour infused in small batches into a grape spirit created on site using a traditional Alembic Pot Still.
Mr Klintworth said the spirit was best served with tonic but could also be enjoyed neat.
A limited batch of the Cerise Gin was released as part of small scale trial in May.
“We had it on the market around Mother’s Day and it was very well received,” Mr Klintworth said.
“Based on that initial success we decided to make it our new seasonal gin for Spring.”
Seasonal gins have become a popular outlet for experimentation at the distillery.
The first was a winter gin created from triple-distilled shiraz grapes blended with a handcrafted aged spirit made from apple cider.
It was followed by Angry Ant Gin which was released in March 2016 and designed to represent autumn.
The award-winning gin was inspired by botanicals, including ants, sourced from Wooleen Station in Western Australia.
“We also have gins available year round as well as our vodka, grappa and aged spirit products but it’s nice to offer something to work with the different seasons,” Mr Klintworth said.
The business also produces more than 2000 unique gins each year through its popular Gin Masterclasses and works with bars to create tailored gins.
Bass and Flinders was established by Mr Klintworth and Bob Laing in 2009.
The pair had holiday houses in Shoreham and wanted to start a business on the peninsula.
With so many wineries already established in the region they decided to do something different with grapes.
“Our base spirits are created using shiraz grapes which gives our products a really unique flavour profile,” Mr Klintworth said.
“Distilleries are quite common in Europe with a lot of wineries and orchards using them to add value to their products.
“But it’s not seen as much in Australia.”
Mr Laing died suddenly in 2016 and Mr Klintworth has continued the business with the help of his daughter Holly.
“She has a background in wine so it wasn’t a big leap for her to move into spirits,” he said.
Cerise Gin online and at the cellar door from September 12.
For details click here