Book Close
Book
Close Close
I'd like to book a
Join QT Club
Back

First Look: Eden Gin

Spring is upon us, and it’s almost time to kick back and let go at the garden party of the season with Eden @ QT. We’ve partnered with The Canberra Distillery to craft a custom Eden Edition gin that boasts a sprig of spring, a pinch of poison and a guaranteed good time.

We sat down and to chat with Tim, founder of The Canberra Distillery, and the mastermind behind our signature Eden Gin.

QT: You know we’re a big fan of what you do here at QT Canberra. Tell us a little about your story.

Tim: A friend of mine started Redlands Distillery in Tasmania. We went down when they were setting up to help out. This experience really excited me, and got me thinking about starting my own distillery rather than just distilling. After a few years of thinking about it, I decided to use some of my spare time in 2015 to start the process of becoming a licensed distiller.

I had never planned to start a distillery. I just found that through the distilling process problems would keep arising, and as I resolved those problems I was getting closer and closer to starting a distillery. It became a matter of turning up every day and resolving problems.

I soon reached a point where I was happy with the products, and wanted to share them with more than just family and friends.

At that time there wasn’t a distillery in Canberra and so I decided to buy a still, modified it, and started experimenting with vodka and gin. The Canberra Distillery is unique in that it is the first and last distillery in a residential area.

For me, it became about designing something you like to drink. It took a few years of experimenting around different kinds of alcohol before I decided to go down the gin path. Of all types, gin and sambuca type liquor are amongst my favourites.

QT: We’re pretty proud of our blossoming capital and we love supporting local producers. How do you think Canberra’s distilleries have progressed over the years?

Tim: There has been a fantastic growth in Australian distilleries, which means there are an abundance of different flavours quenching everyone’s taste. The different botanicals and methods are limitless, and their variations are unique to each spirit. When I first begun distilling in late 2015, I was one of the only distilleries in Canberra, and I can proudly say that that has grown to around six distilleries and breweries.

The industry is gaining a fantastic momentum and it doesn’t look like it will stop anytime soon.

QT: We’re all dying to know; what does the distilling process look like and how long does it take?

In all honesty, it’s probably 80% cleaning, 10% bottling and 10% making sure the still is running.

Once you have decided on the botanicals, there are several different distilling processes – The botanicals are in placed in a column that gets heated to produce the gin through vapors.

The pot distillation process places all of the botanicals in a pot, and the compound process requires distilling the botanicals individually and then combining to produce the end product.

Depending on the processes, it can take several hours to days.

QT: Without giving too much away, what would you say is the secret to making the perfect gin?

The great thing about gin is that you can create so many different flavours, using a limitless number of botanicals. If you can eat it, you can make gin with it. But for us, every product we create is about making something that we love. We create products that have a sense of purpose and place.

I don’t think there is a secret; we are happy to talk through our processes and recipes. Perhaps the secret is just turning up and making it. So perhaps it is the drive to create that is the secret.

Creating something is also the most rewarding part of the business.

QT: When it comes to the Eden Gin, How did you approach capturing the spirit of Eden in your flavour choices?

Tim: When I hear Eden, I think of the Garden of Eden and therefore paradise. I also recall someone once telling me that Eden can also mean ‘fruitful, well-watered’. So inspired by all these things, we decided to make the Eden gin inspired by our summer gin, which uses over 30 botanicals, with a bit of a twist of course.

QT: We hear that the Eden gin is set to have a twist… Can you give us any clues?

Tim: It sure does. As mentioned, we were inspired by the Garden of Eden, and when you look at all the various paintings, and writings regarding the Garden Eden you can see the busyness of the place and how everything is mixed together, but in a perfect way. As such, we decided to use the pot process to make this gin; Mixing all the ingredients together to produce a unique fruity flavour. And of course, it wouldn’t be paradise if we didn’t add a touch of colour to it.

QT: Promising notes of native botanicals including strawberry gum, wattle seed, and lemon myrtle paired with summer fruits like blackberry, passionfruit, orange, lemon and tangelos, how is the Eden Gin best served?

Tim: You can’t go wrong a classic G&T with the Eden Gin. If you want something different, then the ‘Ginger of Eden’ would be the way to go. That is, anything that’s ginger base would make the cocktail quite refreshing.

QT: What does the future hold for The Canberra Distillery?

Tim: Many more creations we hope. Canberra and its surrounds have so much to offer, that it would be wrong of us not to explore and experiment. Our goals are not to take over the world. We are growing our business at a rate that is sustainable and trying not to over capitalise.

In the short term; more space, wider distribution – Watch this space!

With only 2 weeks to go, we’re oh so excited to finally unveil our signature Eden Gin to our adoring fans. Stay close to our Instagram and Facebook pages to watch the story of Eden unravel.

 

GET TICKETS

 

words by stephanie dempster.


QT Social

Feeling a little social? Follow QT Follow QT
Powered by PGR

We hate to play favourites, but some of our guests are lavished with even more special attention than usual. Want to know what you’re missing out on?

Join The QT Club right now – we’ll keep it just between us.

Enter your details