Drink like a fish with Distillery Botanica’s new ocean-inspired gin
Chin chin! New South Wales-based Distillery Botanica has launched a dazzling new drink, dedicated to the expansive beaches and natural beauty of its Central Coast home. As befits its oceanic inspiration, the standout ingredient in this terrific tipple is crushed Akoya pearls from Broken Bay Pearl Farm. Add a splash of sun-ripened citrus, a pinch of pink botanicals and voila – you’ve got the primo Pearl Crush Gin.
In approximately 41 BCE, Cleopatra is said to have dissolved a valuable pearl in wine vinegar and drunk it to impress her boy toy Marc Anthony. In the 1600s, concoctions containing crushed pearls were prescribed to kings as medieval medicine. And now, you too can experience the extravagance of sipping on precious oyster byproducts thanks to Distillery Botanica and its new Pearl Crush Gin.
Crafted by multi-award-winning distiller Phillip Moore as a versatile gin ideal for mixing in a cocktail, the spirit is blended with distilled Akoya saltwater pearls, cultivated in the pristine waters of the Central Coast at Broken Bay Pearl Farm just north of Sydney. James Brown, who owns the pearl farm says, “Broken Bay Akoya Pearls are a premium Australian-grown pearl cultivated using sustainable and ethical practices. We are thrilled to partner with Distillery Botanica to have our pearls featured in a product that is so unique to our region.”
Another local producer lending their offering to the mix is East Coast Beverages, whose Kulnura orchards provide the pink grapefruit, Valencia orange and blood orange that infuse the spirit. Managing director Sam Lentini says, “The Central Coast has an excellent climate to produce top-quality citrus fruit, and our citrus are among the best in Australia. Working with Distillery Botanica, we provide plump and juicy sun-ripened citrus for distillation and inclusion in Moore’s Pearl Crush Gin – and it has been incredibly fun to be part of the process to create this new beverage”.
The final touch is a selection of botanicals from Distillery Botanica’s expansive 3 acres of tranquil gardens in Erina, including pink roses and pink-flowered rosemary. The end result is a delicate, dry ocean-inspired gin that dances across the palate with hints of lightly salted rose, citrus and seaweed notes.
You can grab a bottle of this uniquely glamorous gin at the Distillery Botanica’s website.
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