Water of Life - Kings Cross Distillery
It was about high time for Sydney to have its own locally grown gin distillery and since July this year. While Australia has a myriad of gin distillers, up until July this year there was a King Cross Distillery shaped hole, i.e. a dire need for a local hoochery that not only honours the tradition and DNE of what has become known as Australian gin making but is also paired with a stylish watering hole.
Kings Cross’ might still be known as being Sydney’s red-light district, however, it has not exactly been a prime go-to nighttime spot over the last couple of year.
In essence, Kings Cross Distillery draws its inspiration from a decade that ultimately culminated in WW II, i.e. the age of the “blue ruin”, the Thirties, which due to the prohibition was a time period that became a hotbed for the creation of clear distilled grain spirit infused with botanicals.
While traditions and original recipes are honoured, Odelia Potts, the lady behind KCD, channels her alchemy in an idiosyncratic was as she employs the single shot method, refined by the utilisation of her two hundred litre still. Apart from the staple botanicals, i.e. juniper beans, cardamom and coriander, a local Australian twist is added via the infusion of extract from local myrtles.
What best materialises mixed with dried lemon peel and tonic water is a devil’s left hand that beautifully meanders between citrussy, treacly floral and subtly spicy coordinates.
With gin not normally being my first poison of choice, I found KCD’s first emission immensely enjoyable, even while sipping it on its own and it made me curious about their physical incarnation, which is fabled to be housed in what apparently still emanated the charm of hybrid of a den of vice and an ex-adult book store. Talk about authenticity and paying homage to the illustrious history of its location.
Once COVID-19 restrictions lifted, a visit shall become mandatory as I will not only have to inspect their personalised gin lockers have but word around the campfire has that Kings Cross Distillery will apart from proffering its own vapour infused creations also have a well-curated premium selection of whiskies alongside of Australian and international spirits on offer.
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image from company website
