Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin is an Australian twist on the more British tradition of sloe gin. Australia, and Four Pillars' home in the Yarra Valley in particular, is famed for its wine grapes, especially its Shiraz. To this end, Four Pillars have taken some of Australia's finest Shiraz grapes and steeped them in their Rare Dry Gin to create this unique expression. The Shiraz grapes are de-stemmed but kept as whole berries and steeped in the gin for eight weeks, stored cold and stirred daily. After this, the grapes are pressed and it is blended with more Rare Dry Gin. The gin character shines through in the finished product, but with the grapes bringing a rich sweetness. The vintage nature of grapes means that no two years' production will ever be exactly the same. The 2017 vintage has a vibrant ruby colour, turning an iridescent pink when mixed with tonic. To taste, there are flavours of fresh pine and a powerful peppery raspberry character. The gin is bottled at a higher ABV than most typical sloe gins and packs a little more punch. It is unfiltered, and as such the flavours will continue to develop in the bottle similarly to a wine, though is at its very best within two years of its vintage date. |
