Big Tree Gin
Big Tree Distillery is the result of a gin-loving husband and wife team who loved good gin so much they decided to make their own. Catherine Crothers and Gary Jago have done a stellar job and when we first tried the gin – bought to us in an old pickle jar (before the labels and bottles were finalised) – we were convinced!
The gins are crafted by using the finest ingredients and where they can, Catherine and Gary try to source as much locally as possible. That means collecting fresh rainwater from the farm as well as some botanicals which are grown on-site at Jack Spring Farms. Where they can, they pick and forage the more interesting Australian botanicals that grow wild around the property and further afield throughout the Macedon hinterlands.
For the seasonal gin Catherine collects cumquats off the property steeping bucket-fulls in Beryl, their 300 litre still overnight for maximum flavour extraction. Their Navy Strength uses sassafras foraged from the hills surrounding the property while their Elderflower Gin Liquer is from wild elderflowers from the farm’s elderberry trees and off nearby farms.
Sticking to the ‘local’ theme, Cath and Gary commissioned Beryl from Knapp Lewer in Hobart. Knapp are famous for producing custom stills for the Australian spirits market and are responsible for stills used by some of the most respected distillers in Australia like Lark Whiskey in Tassie.
To complete the package the beautiful bottles are designed to be kept long after the gin is gone, with artwork painted by local artist Sarah Gabriel, with each piece in the range a limited edition painted for Big Tree Distilling exclusively.
This is great local gin produced by a passionate and dedicated team. We have been big fans of the Big Tree for some time and hope you will become one too.
We hand-picked this cracking little pack and Catherine has been super generous and is sending down her home-grown, dehydrated oranges wheels, which are the perfect garnish for their fabulous gins and exclusive to Drinks List buyers.
-
London Dry Style
-
Double Distilled & Cumquat Infused
This was meant to be a one-off but the popularity of this gin meant Catherine and her husband decided to make it a staple part of their range - and we are glad they did. It's a slightly modified recipe of the Elegant Dry infused with local cumquats. They stockpile during the season so they are able to continue to distil this delicious drop all year round. Double distilled for a little extra purity and to let the local cumquat flavours shine.
-
Elderflower infused Gin Liqueur
This is such an incredibly delicious product. Foraging for wild elderflowers from the farm's elderberry trees and on nearby farms is hot work but well worth the effort.
A touch of fresh lemons, rain water and Australian grown sugar to give it real zing. Then the magic happens when it is steeped in their specially distilled gin to make a stand out winner. This will be the latest batch on the market. Serve with just a splash of soda and a slice of lemon or just plain on ice or as a French 75 with a twist! Enjoy!