“Bloody Shiraz” might sound like a French horror movie but for those in the know, it’s one of the most sought-after bottles of booze in Australia.
The wine and gin hybrid byFour Pillars Gin sells out at breakneck speed every time there's a new release. So set your alarms for next Friday June 1, because the latest batch becomes available then.
“Flavour-wise it’s showing dark fruit, red berry and spice," says head distiller Cameron Mackenzie of this year's release. "There is also plenty of that classic Yarra Shiraz white pepper. And, of course, a lovely ginny character carries those grape aromas making it unmistakably gin. It’s the best we’ve made so far by quite a margin we reckon. It’s the new benchmark for the style and after four years we think we’ve got it bang on."
In 2015 the distillery first soaked a bunch of shiraz grapes in its Rare Dry Gin. The grapes were then juiced and blended with gin to create a 37.8 per cent spirit. While it's an unconventional blend, head distiller Mackenzie says it makes sense as wine and gin are both about aroma, flavour, balance, texture and weight.
If you do get your hands on a bottle, Mackenzie says it’s best served with a little ice, maybe a splash of soda or tonic, and a slice of orange. Because it still has a “big slug of gin flavour” it’s also great for cocktails. (At the Yarra Valley distillery the team uses it in a “cracker” of a cocktail called Bloody Jasmine, which is made with Campari, Curacao, and orange bitters.)
It’s also a candidate for aging, Mackenzie says, with the young, fresh fruit mellowing over time to give more of a “dried fruit, Christmas cake character”.
His advice for those curious to try it? “Be quick.”
One week, people.
Bloody Shiraz will be available on the Four Pillars website, the Healesville distillery, and in bars and stores around Australia from Friday June 1.
