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GREEN TEA & LIME GIN | DUNE DISTILLING CO.
WRITTEN BY REBECCA WELLWOOD
For those of you who have been with Garden Street for a while, you may recall Dune’s Signature Gin taking the spotlight in July 2022.
We first tasted the Lime & Green Tea gin around the same time, and it’s been on our radar ever since. Sinfully smooth with an incredibly unique depth of flavour, the tasting panel loved this gin so much that it’s required a return visit – and now we’re incredibly excited to finally share it with you.
ABOUT THE DISTILLERY
Nestled in the scenic Margaret River Region of Wilyabrup in Western Australia, Dune Distilling Co., alongside sister company Black Brewing Co., stands out as an architectural marvel set against a backdrop of a sprawling dam and lush vineyards. The West Australian coastline provides the perfect inspiration for distilling. The marvellous balance of rugged, uncompromising terrain coupled with the beauty of its native flora is the perfect muse.
As they near a decade of operation, Dune shows no sign of slowing down any time soon, and are consistently looking to grow and innovate. Dune Distilling Co. came out of the gates for 2023 with a whopping seven medals from prestigious national and international distilling awards, including recognition from IWSC for the delicious Lime & Green Tea Gin.
At the heart of Dune’s award-winning gins is the synergy between Head Distiller, Shannon, and his innovative iStill. This state-of-the-art apparatus merges the best of pot and column still technologies, ensuring unparalleled precision with flavour selection. Shannon’s approach balances spontaneous inspiration with deliberate decisions.
‘The Signature Gin was born out of my fondness for oranges and the ease of availability,’ Shannon shares. ‘The Mediterranean Gin, however, was more of a slow burn, based on a regional gin that I tasted many years ago. It took a while to get the balance of botanicals right – some of them, such as the cardamom, can be quite overpowering.’
Of course, such success isn’t driven by Shannon alone, and the team’s recent growth has seen some exciting developments. Joaquin Robredo, having journeyed all the way from Argentina, now helms marketing and infuses his design and photography flair into the brand. Wonkeun Lee visited the region from Korea in 2016, and was captivated by the community, lifestyle and landscapes (and the team at Black Brewing Co!). Wonkeun has since ascended to role of Head Chef at the venue – a testament to the company’s nurturing spirit! Check out the Miso Tuna Tartare recipe they’ve been willing to share on the following pages.
It’s not just the ‘spirits’ team making magic, either; 2023 was also a banner year for Black Brewing Co.! Their range of delicious beers earnt them the title of WA Champion Brewery at the Independent Beer Awards. It’s inspiring to see the team go from strength to strength, and we’ve got no doubt the success will continue through 2024 and beyond.
ABOUT THE GIN
Dune’s incredible Lime & Green Tea Gin came about from the most unlikely of places. In Shannon’s own words: ‘I went through a phase where I was drinking a cold-pressed green tea each morning that really did not taste great. I added honey and lime, and it was amazing. That was the inspiration – I accidentally fell into that one.’
A seasoned distilling pro, Shannon knows the balance of botanicals well. It generally only takes a few trials on the mini iStill before he’s confident to take the recipe to production. When it comes to the Lime & Green Tea Gin, Shannon combines fresh lime with juniper and green tea from Seven Seas, a boutique tea blender just around the corner.
‘The marked difference in taste, quality and flavour when it comes to comparing top to bottom shelf brands is just one of the reasons supporting local can be so fruitful.’ – Shannon
The Lime & Green Tea Gin is a contemporary style gin with an aroma reminiscent of a straw field in the countryside. Robust lime features in the mid-palate, with a clean and sharp finish. It makes a light and refreshing G&T, particularly when paired with Bickford & Sons’ Dry Tonic and lime (a squeeze of fresh lime in the glass is especially delicious!). Shannon’s personal recommendation is to make your G&T with too much ice, and top with some fresh passionfruit pulp. For an alternate take on a G&T, try to get your hands on some of Black Brewing Co’s Ginger Beer to use as a mixer!
Well-known for the beautiful custom artwork adorning their labels, Dune makes no exception with their Lime & Green Tea Gin. The artwork on this bottle is called ‘The Land in One Hand’ and is inspired by the coastal shrub at Redgate Beach that artist, Elsie Harbor, loves. Elsie is an emerging Australian artist, known for her exploration of vibrant colour and light in the Australian landscape. Many of her works are painted in situ; sun, wind, dirt, shadow and light all inform the mark making of her works. As she painted this piece, Elsie was impressed by the compact, sturdy, yet fine detailed nature of the plants around her. ‘I painted a tiny patch of that vegetation and represented it as I saw it; a dreamy, colourful world of its own.’
OTHER PRODUCTS IN THE RANGE
The newest additions to the Dune Distilling Co. range celebrate a blend of local charm and global flair.
Starting abroad is their Mediterranean gin – Shannon’s love story. This gin is inspired by fond memories from many moons ago of a spectacular trip around Europe. With hints of olive, thyme and basil on the nose, a solid rosemary palate and a cardamom spice finish, this gin will transport you to the heart of the Mediterranean with every sip. Yes please.
Their Feijoa & Pepper Gin is a balanced marriage of a subtle white pepper flavour and a sweet, fruity punch from the feijoa. While waiting for his home to be built, Shannon travelled up and down Albany in the southwest region of WA and stumbled across local growers selling boxes of their fresh fruit on the roadside. He just knew he had to use it in a gin!
The Dune team is also excited to have debuted a canned version of their ever-popular Gin Blueberry Sage cocktail from their venue. Originally crafted for visitors to the tasting room who veer away from beer or wine, it has been specially developed as summery alternative without being overly sweet.
Anticipated summer arrivals to the range include a Cherry Liqueur, ideal for the season’s cocktails, and a Yuzu-based Gin, springing from Shannon’s latest local discovery of this unique citrus after a local farmer mentioned they had a few spares. With such a solid range already on their shelves, we expect every new release to be nothing short of amazing.
We wholeheartedly recommend heading to the Margaret River venue to visit the tasting room in person for a fully immersive experience! Dune Distilling Co. and Black Brewing Co. host live music every weekend in their beer garden; it’s a vibrant spot to enjoy a drink. For those who prefer a touch of tranquillity, the tasting room and deck offer a serene spot to enjoy gin flights while soaking in the stunning views.
Dune’s recently launched ‘Gin Experience’, offers a hands-on journey through gin tasting and cocktail crafting, and concludes with a sumptuous grazing board to complete the sensory experience. If that’s not a cracking way to spend a weekend, we don’t know what is! Cheers.
TASTING NOTES
Gin type – Contemporary
Appearance – Clear, bright
Botanicals – Fresh limes, coriander, juniper and green tea from Seven Seas
Aroma – Slight straw aroma, subtle lime and delicate earthiness from green tea shine through piney juniper
Palate – Super smooth and viscous across the palate, juicy lime flavours unfold with grassy undertones of green tea
Finish – Clean and sharp, fading into a crisp, sweet and refreshing end note
Our perfect G&T
• 30ml Dune Distilling Co. Lime & Green Tea Gin
• 90ml Bickford & Sons Dry Tonic
• Dehydrated lime
