Small-batch craft spirits have captured the imagination of local producers and drinkers alike, writes Max Allen.
When Brian and Genise Hollingworth decided to start distilling rum and whisky in 2009 they were taking a huge risk. For a start, their distillery (well, the handful of barrels and small copper still in the shed) was just outside the tiny town of Mendooran, about five hours’ drive from Sydney. There aren’t many fans of craft spirits in this part of the world, and even fewer tourists. In fact, the whole concept of craft spirits was still very new in Australia.
“It was a pretty weird thing to be doing,” says Brian, pouring a taste of his whisky in Black Gate Distillery’s humble cellar door. “There were only a few other craft distillers around, hardly any in NSW. We’d been to see one – Ian Glen at Stone Pine Distillery in Bathurst – and it looked like he was having fun. And he couldn’t keep up with demand. So we thought we’d give it a go.”
The gamble paid off: since the Hollingworths started Australians have developed a seemingly unquenchable thirst for craft spirits, and Black Gate is now regarded as one of the best in a booming field, even featuring at the Noma pop-up in Sydney last year.
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Denne historien er fra August 2017-utgaven av Gourmet Traveller.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prÞveperiode pÄ Magzter GOLD for Ä fÄ tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Not a vegetable but rather a flower bud that rises on a thistle, the artichoke is a complex delight. Its rewards are hard won; first you must get past the armour of petals and remove the hairy choke. Those who step up are rewarded with sweet and savoury creaminess and the elusive flavour of spring. Many of the recipes here begin with the same Provençal braise. Others call on the nuttiness of artichokes in their raw form. The results make pasta lighter and chicken brighter or can be fried to become a vessel for bold flavours all of which capture the levity of the season.
