Killara Distillery: First ever 100 per cent Tasmanian gin hits shelves, made with locally grown ingredients

With an initial range of just 100 bottles, a new purely Tasmanian gin is sure to be snapped up quickly, as people clamour to get their hands on a piece of history.

Kristy Lark-Booth with the new Apothecary 100% Tasmanian Gin at Killara Distillery, Richmond. Picture: Chris Kidd

The first ever 100 per cent Tasmanian gin will hit the shelves of a Richmond distillery on Saturday, made with locally grown ingredients, including a crop rarely grown on the island.

Killara Distillery will launch a range of about 100 bottles of the gin, with future batches set to be “slightly different” as new crops come into season.

Kristy Lark-Booth, the owner of the distillery and daughter of Tasmanian whisky royalty, Bill Lark, said the gin had been made using local apples, coriander, camomile, lavender, and pepperberries grown in Killara’s own apothecary garden.

Juniperus Botanical supplied the juniper, as well as a selection of hand-foraged botanicals.

“Juniper is just not really grown in Tasmania or it hasn’t been up until just recently,” Ms Lark-Booth said.

“Fresh juniper is vibrant, it’s bright, it’s got those classic gin flavours but then it also has a little bit of citrus and a little bit of spice.

“I didn’t need to add many ingredients to the gin. I really wanted the juniper to shine through because it is such a complex and really exciting flavour.”

Kristy Lark-Booth with the new Apothecary 100% Tasmanian Gin at Killara Distillery, Richmond. Picture: Chris Kidd

The unique gin also consists of lemons from Ms Lark-Booth’s grandmother’s garden, as well as honey and orris root grown by her mother.

“I think we have produced a simple yet sophisticated gin that is easy to sip on its own and shines through your choice of mixer or cocktail, and most importantly with good company,” she said.

Ms Lark-Booth became a Churchill Fellow in 2024 after embarking on a fellowship tour of France, England, and Scotland last year, where she researched apothecary gardens and how they could be used for distillation, education, and tourism.

She said this experience had guided her in making the new Tasmanian gin.

The 100% Tasmanian Gin will be available to purchase at Killara Distillery’s Richmond cellar door from Saturday, March 2, or online at https://killaradistillery.com/.

Originally published as Killara Distillery: First ever 100 per cent Tasmanian gin hits shelves, made with locally grown ingredients