Since 2015 they have been based in a former timber yard in Healesville in the Yarra Valley in Victoria, famed for its wine production, and in 2020 opened the Surry Hills Laboratory housing a working copper still and a cocktail bar to tease the palates of Sydneyites and tourists. They have six copper stills, the original, Wilma, now joined by Jude, Eileen, Beth, Coral, and Linda, and produce an extensive range of gins.  

As is the way with Navy Strength gins, the distillers choose to base it on one of their less powerful products, in this case Four Pillar’s Rare Dry Gin, but with some twists and turning up the volume to 11. For their Navy Strength they have halved the amount of oranges they normally use and have replaced them with a native Australian finger lime called Judy’s Everbearing and some additional ginger. The other botanicals include Tasmanian pepperberry, lemon myrtle, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander seeds, star anise juniper, lavender, and angelica root. It is not to be messed with, carrying a fighting weight of 58.8% ABV.

The aroma on opening the bottle is intense, a battle royale waged between the competing forces of juniper, cardamom, ginger, and lime. It gives the spirit an intriguing sense of come and get me, an invitation that is too good to resist. In the glass, it is clear when poured neat but louches with the addition of a premium tonic. It is spicy and citric, slightly sweet, with some earthiness provided by the juniper. The aftertaste lingers, a mix of earthy juniper, pepper, and citrus. A drink to be treated with respect, it is designed to be sipped and appreciated, but for me the juniper has a struggle to assert itself making it a spirit out of the contemporary in style rather than a London Dry.

The bottle design itself would not win any prizes, functional and utilitarian. Using clear glass the shape is rounded, slightly narrowing at the base, with a steep shoulder onto which is embossed four dimples, presumably representing the four pillars. The neck is short, leading to a blue cap and an synthetic stopper. The label around the neck tells me my gin was made in the stills Wilma and Jude in 2020. The labelling deploys a white background and blue print and on the right hand side of the label the distillers identify the four selling points of the gin, viz intense flavours enhanced by finger limes, navy strength, ideal for cocktails and made for the serious gin lover.

While the list might give the impression that they have run out of ideas to sell their gin, there is no doubting that this is a seriously impressive gin made with considerable care and skill. It might not be my favourite Navy Strength gin but its distinctive taste and warmth will help me through the inter.

Until the next time, cheers!