The Gin Queen - An Audience with the Queen
Did you know that Queen Elizabeth drinks an average of 4 cocktails per day? The first being a mid-morning glass of Gin and Dubonnet, on the rocks with a slice of lemon.
However, a little closer to home (and much more majestic if you ask us). Australia's own Juniper Matriarch - The Gin Queen has just named our White Pearl Gin in her Top 10 Australian Gins of 2020.
In the build up to earning this esteemed title, Director and Distiller, Andrew had a chance to speak with the Queen herself. Encompassing the origin of Moontide, our ties to the Kimberley region and of course the incredible Native botanicals and flavours we are so privileged and proud to hero in our craft.
How long have you been a distiller?
We opened Moontide Distillery & Cellar Door in Broome on 1st July, 2020!
I’ve been distilling from our Broome Gin Lab for the past three years. It is from within the lab that Moontide Distillery’s spirits were created and perfected. Using a glass still and an iStill we experimented with all types of fruits, spices and botanicals, focusing on Kimberley and Australian natives.
Who/what inspires you?
My father part owed a Kimberley cattle station – Oobagooma, which at one time my brother managed. So I grew up with stories from the station and the area from the 1960’s. The people were bigger than life and the country bigger and more rugged than the people.
Tell us about your range.
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Botanticals / Flavours:
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Our London Dry style with big and bold Native Australian Botanical characters. Unique flavours of Gubinge and Guwarl are unlikely seen in other Australian Gin profiles. |
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Botanticals / Flavours:
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Our Moontide Aniseed Spirit (an Ouzo type spirit). |
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Botanticals / Flavours:
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The name comes from the place where the pearl luggers were dry docked for the ‘wet season’ or southern summer months awaiting the cessation of the monsoons and cyclones. |
How best to drink your gin?
We suggest a traditional Indian tonic water. We’ve crafted our gin with a unique blend of botanical flavours we wish you to taste, so choose a tonic minus additional botanicals and our gin will delight, as we’ve intended. Garnish with lime and/or blood orange grapefruit.
To celebrate the honourable mention, we've concocted an exceptional drink "The Queens Habit":
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The Queens Habit Ingredients:
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Step 1: Combine Gin and Dubonnet in a shaker and stir until chilled. Step 2: Add Ice cubes and Grapefruit to glass Step 3: Pour/ Strain cocktail from shaker - Enjoy |