SIGNATURE GIN | DUNE DISTILLING

Dune Distilling Co. is nestled amongst the towering forests and pristine coastline of the tranquil Margaret River region in the southwest pocket of Western Australia. Housed in a magnificent architectural building beside a beautiful dam and winding vineyards, you will find Dune just a 23 minutes’ drive north from Margaret River. 

The name ‘Dune’ is inspired by the stunning local coastal region. Born out of a passion project, Dune Distilling Co.’s journey started in 2015. Beginning with craft beer, the team then started experimenting with collaborations on wines and spirits utilising beautiful native and farmed botanicals. Gin was introduced to their range in 2016 and now, five years on, the distillery and brewery have grown to offer a range of medal-winning craft beverages, as well as a 250-seat restaurant operating seven days a week. 

It hasn’t been smooth sailing, however. On the 23rd March 2020 the industry came to an abrupt halt and Dune had to batten down the hatches (the nation’s hospitality venues were closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak). The team behind Dune Distilling Co. had to think quickly to adapt their business to the ever-changing situation. They upgraded their gin distillery overnight into a hand sanitiser production line to produce their Dune Distilling Co. Hand Sanitiser; a popular product at the time! 

Dune Distilling Co. share their home with craft brewers and sister company Black Brewing Co. and offer a one stop destination for local, domestic and international tourists. Both guarantee to give guests the quintessential taste of Western Australia’s stunning South West region. Year-round visitors can drop in to experience lunch and handcrafted produce from their combined in-house restaurant serving local fare, their boutique gins and spirits from the distillery, as well as craft beers served in the Tasting Room and Restaurant. 

So, who are the brilliant team? The Dune Distilling Co. team are a small group of Western Australians, local to the South West, who have come together through a common desire to create and grow a distillery that offers something unique and distinctly local. They are an eclectic bunch, with a wide range of skills and experiences in distilling, brewing, wine making, marketing, farming and environmental science. 

Head Distiller, Shannon Griggs, became immersed in the challenge of playing with modern styles of gin, rum and even whiskey and continued to experiment throughout that journey. His strong background in science and brewing quickly resulted in gold medal wins for his gin releases. 

Dune’s Director, Kristin Kestell, began her career in brewing with WA’s iconic Swan Brewery, after graduating university with a degree in Environmental Engineering. She worked in Asia for some time, but when the opportunity for a return to the brewing and distilling industry came calling, Kristin grabbed it. She is a busy person; spending her time managing the team amongst other things, and gladly accepts the responsibility of being Head Gin Taster. 

ABOUT THE GIN 
As a regional business, Dune Distilling Co. are passionate about supporting the local community and in particular, local artists. As a result of their Emerging Artists Competition, five stunning art pieces from WA artists have been featured on their gin labels and four artists have featured their works on Black Brewing Co.’s craft beer labels. The beautiful artwork “Dreamscape” on their Signature Gin was painted by local artist Sara Winfield who has a passion for the Australian outback. All original artwork pieces are displayed at the Margaret River venue for visitors to enjoy. 

Dune Distilling Co.’s Signature Gin has been distilled using native and imported botanicals including juniper, coriander seed and local citrus. The juicy local navel oranges provide the perfect peel in combination with juniper. Highlights of zesty lemon rind infusion and coriander seed, drive a beautiful citrus palate that reflects the freshness of the coastal region. The inspiration behind their Signature Gin was to make a gin from local botanicals that were simple, yet specific, and available all year around. Their resulting gin is delicious and versatile enough to use in an array of beverages, and it’s even collected gold medals to boot! 

It took a few tinkerings to nail their final recipe. A total of four recipes made the initial cut and flavours like orris root, angelica and lime were tried. Ultimately, however, Dune realised they were more suited to a bold seasonal gin rather than a year-round Signature Gin. They’ve told us to watch this space!