JINDILLI GIN | DISTIL ON THE HILL

WRITTEN BY REBECCA WELLWOOD

ABOUT THE DISTILLERY
This story from the Kuranda rainforest, in the far northern reaches of Queensland’s finest state forests and national parks, begins many years earlier with the Bedwell family. Officially, Distil on the Hill is an overachieving three-year-old company. In the winter of last year, they released their very first product; Mandarin Gin. Within its first year, it amassed Double Gold at the San Francisco Spirit Awards, Silver at the World Gin Awards, and Bronze in two categories at the Australian Gin Awards. Not too bad for a first release! 

“We are humbled to receive this recognition and excited to bring the exquisite flavour profiles of Australian native botanicals to the international market. For an entry to receive a Double Gold Award, it must have received a unanimous gold medal rating amongst all judges on the panel,” says Neddy Bedwell, Distil on the Hill co-founder and co-owner. 

And now they’re back with another. This time, it’s for their second gin release, Jindilli Gin. It picked up Silver in the San Francisco Spirits Awards earlier this year. Not too shabby if you ask us, especially for a newborn gin only on the market for two months before the competition! 

The tight-knit team behind Distil on the Hill are husband and wife duo Christian Bedwell (Head Distiller) and Neddy (Distiller and Marketing Manager); Jon and Sarah Lark (mentoring and production support); Dan Kelly (Brand Ambassador, Sales, Events, Chief Cocktail Maker); Caitlin Mackland (Sales and Production); and Lilly Miller (Sales). 

Christian and Neddy met whilst working in a beachside restaurant under the tropical palms of Far North Queensland. Christian was working as a chef and Neddy as a bartender, and together they spent many nights bonding over a shared love of fine flavours. After many years of learning and working within the hospitality industry, their passion for creating flavours inspired the couple to produce their very own fine spirit to share with the world.

So strong was their passion and belief in what they could produce together, they took a leap of faith before they’d even secured financial backing. Slowly, the couple built up their equipment and distilling space, all the while working full-time and raising two young children. 

It was Christian’s parents who had originally intended on using ‘Distil on the Hill’ for their own distillery, and registered the name years before. They even previously bought a 20L copper still! However, as time passed and family life changed, they were lured by the retired grandparent lifestyle. This change didn’t mean the distilling dreams were over for the family; rather, passed down to the next generation.  

Having the foundations set meant that Christian and Neddy could get the ball rolling and start shaping the distilling future they themselves had longed for. They proudly took on the name; it was fitting for their distillery in the hills of Kuranda and honoured the family dreams and aspirations. The original 20L still is still there, fondly named Tiny Tim. It is now joined by a bigger 100L copper still, Clare, named after their first daughter, and will soon be joined by a twin still named Millie after their youngest daughter. The copper in their stills assist in removing unwanted sulphates which provides a clean and more refined spirit with each run. 

The Distil on the Hill team hand-craft their gin in a dedicated space on their semi-rural property in Kuranda. Their rapid growth quickly exceeded their expectations, so it’s likely the distillery will soon pack up and shift to another location. With it would come ample production space and the ability to offer a tasting room, distillery tours and hopefully even a small cocktail bar!

A special shoutout this month to Neddy, Christian (and the kids!) for their efforts and sacrifices, temporarily relocating to Adelaide to crank up production for us here at Garden Street. It would have been a tall order for their stills Tiny Tim and Clare working around the clock back home in Kuranda!

Neddy says, “We are very fortunate to have many great distillers in our family and thankful for the generosity shown to us by Lindon Lark and Geordan Ellis at the Blend Etiquette distillery in Adelaide, who have graciously allowed us to use their facilities.” Here at Garden Street HQ, we are very excited to be sharing this gin with you all, so a huge thanks are in order from us too! 

ABOUT THE GIN 
Distil on the Hill had a vision to create something a little different to add to their range; Jindilli Gin is a beautiful floral gin and sits well alongside their award-winning Mandarin Gin. It is inspired by Atherton native raspberries, a unique local botanical, balanced with roasted macadamias and lifted with lime and zesty lemon balm to brighten your spirits. Other botanicals featured are organic Macedonian juniper, coriander, angelica root, elderflower, mint, lemongrass, orange, pink pepper, Cassowary Coast vanilla and orange blossom. It is a beautiful Contemporary Dry gin and we can’t wait for you to have a sip or three! 

Practice makes perfect, and the team went through several recipes to perfect their balance of botanicals and create a pleasing complex flavour profile. The result is such a bright floral gin that they originally had the name ‘Bloom’ intended for it. But after hitting some legal roadblocks, they came together as a team and discussed further. Eventually the team decided upon an even more fitting name for their newest gin – ‘Jindilli’. Jindilli means ‘macadamia’ in Australian Aboriginal languages, and is a respectful nod to the area’s traditional owners. 

After plenty of tinkering, Jindilli Gin was released on Valentine’s Day of this year. When thinking of their labels, Distil on the Hill wanted to visually represent where they’ve come from and the place they call home. The design is made up of the contour lines of the small Kuranda village, and the line through ‘Gin’ represents the ridge line of saddle mountain where Kuranda is located.

OTHER PRODUCTS IN THE RANGE 
Distil on the Hill’s award-winning Mandarin Gin is a must try! This Contemporary London Dry style gin features bold juniper, sweet mandarin and aromatic pepper, creating a perfect balance of sweet and spicy. It goes fabulously in a sweet, citrus-inspired martini or cocktail. 

And what’s coming up in the near future? Distil on the Hill are working away on a third gin, plus they’re looking at releasing a sloe gin later in the year (all top secret, of course). “Wow,” is all we at Garden Street can say! We will be eagerly awaiting a taste of all that is to come from this power couple and their close-knit team of gin lovers. 

TASTING NOTES
Gin type – Contemporary

Appearance – Clear, bright

Botanicals – Juniper, coriander, Angelica root, native Atherton raspberries, elderflower, macadamia, lemon balm, mint, lemongrass, lime, orange, pink pepper, vanilla, orange blossom

Aroma – Sweet raspberry on the nose with hints of juniper, elderflower and citrus

Palate – Buttery macadamia create a luscious mouthfeel, blending with delicate florals and smooth vanilla on the palate

Finish – Warm pink pepper, lemongrass and zesty lemon balm complement a fresh, bright lime finish

Our perfect G&T
• 30ml Distill on the Hill Jindilli Gin
• 90ml Long Rays Pacific Tonic
• Dehydrated berries

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