Yes, boys and girl, it’s nearly that time of year again when Four Pillars release their Australian Christmas Gin.
Only two more sleeps until all your Christmas’ come at once with the release of the 2018 batch of Gin-based Christmas goodness.
Now an annual tradition, the Christmas Gin is created by Cameron Mackenzie, Four Pillars’ co-founder and chief distiller, in memory of his late mother Wilma, who always baked Christmas puddings every Derby Day, (the Saturday before Melbourne Cup).
Every year Cam’s mum would use the 1968 Australian Women’s Weekly recipe to make her puddings and it is that very recipe that he now uses to make the pudding that gets placed in the botanical basket of Wilma (our still) and distilled with a base of Juniper, Cinnamon, Star Anise, Coriander and Angelica over the top.
Four Pillars now have Gin ageing several 100+-year-old Muscat barrels, including two 125-year-old ex-William Grants whisky barrels that, prior to arriving at Healesville, stored Rutherglen Muscat for 80 years.
Same as last year and the year before, Cam has blended this gin with the Christmas pudding Gin and then to finish, added a slight tweak of Classic Rutherglen Muscat, to round out the palate and add a touch of richness.
We also add a small amount of our “own” Muscat that is maturing at the distillery in old puncheons that used to hold aged Pedro Ximenez in the Barossa Valley. This extra component adds an additional layer of complexity and richness.
The result smells like gin and tastes like Christmas. And there’s no better way to celebrate with family and friends than with this delicious, Christmassy gin, that’s perfect for sipping neat or pouring over the pudding.
This year’s label has been designed Melbourne artist Stephen Baker to create a snapshot of what he feels represents Christmas in Australia. The result is a gorgeous, colourful depiction that evokes the feeling of Christmas in a hot Australian summer.
“It’s the backyard Christmas I know, lying next to the pool and listening to the radio after a big Christmas lunch,” says artist, Stephen Baker. “The colours represent that afternoon summer heat and the cool relief of the pool or ocean.”
Four Pillars Australian Christmas Gin (43.8% ABV.) will be available from Saturday until sold out, through fourpillarsgin.com.au for AUD$100
Once you have your Christmas Gin, Four Pillars have two amazing cocktails that they suggest to truly get you in the spirit.
Four Pillars Australian Christmas Gin Cobbler
Ingredients
- 50ml Four Pillars Australian Christmas Gin 25ml Fresh Lemon Juice
- 10ml Fino Sherry
- 10ml Sugar Syrup (1:1)
- 5ml PX Sherry (or any old Australian Muscat or Topaque)
Instructions
Build in Julep Cup (or Wine goblet) with crushed ice and churn with a spoon. Garnish with a mint sprig, orange crescent, cherry, seasonal berries and a light powdering of sugar dusting.
Christmas Punch
Ingredients
- 50ml Four Pillars Australian Christmas Gin 2018
- 25ml Fresh Lemon Juice
- 25ml Orange x Lemon Sherbet
- Sparkling Wine
Instructions
Build in a fruit punch cup over ice and top with sparkling wine and garnish with Orange and Lemon wheels and a Mint Sprig
