Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin is back for 2021. Since its inaugural release in 2015, the purple gin has become one of the spirits world’s most highly anticipated annual offerings.
Each year, Four Pillars takes local Shiraz fruit and steeps the whole berries in high-proof gin for eight weeks before pressing. The color of the spirit remains a deep, rich, reddish purple. Aromatically it shows fresh pine needles, citrus, and spice, as well as distinct peppery, dense raspberry notes. The palate is balanced and sweet with a long juniper and spice character on the finish.
“The 2021 vintage was a blessed relief from the heat of 2020, it’s a bloody great vintage,” Distiller and Co-Founder Cameron Mackenzie said. “In fact, I’m gonna call it: best ever vintage. Might’ve said that last year and probably the year before. But you can definitely believe it this time. Until next year, of course.”
Making the Bloody Shiraz Gin leaves the distillery with hundreds of kilograms of gin-soaked shiraz grape skins, so, true to the philosophy of its Made from Gin product range, they combined the leftover skins with fresh shiraz grapes, quince, sugar, spices, and Bloody Shiraz Gin to make grape and quince paste, perfect for enjoying with cheese.
The other addition to the Bloody Shiraz family is Bloody Shiraz Gin Caviar. Nick Gorman, co-owner of Yarra Valley Caviar and Four Pillars’ Matt Wilkinson got chatting about combining Australia’s favourite purple gin with Australia’s best caviar (could there be a more luxurious pairing?) and after 25-plus trials, the pair ended up salting and steeping first harvest Atlantic Salmon roe in Bloody Shiraz Gin for 24 hours, before the pearls were drained, tinned and gently pasteurized.
Its unique flavor, burgundy colour and visual appeal are “like no other,” says the brand and is thought to be the world’s first gin-infused salmon caviar. The roe is best served very cold as a ‘bump’, or alongside seafood such as Pacific oysters, light white fish sashimi, or on buttered white bread.
The 2021 edition Bloody Shiraz Gin will arrive on June 1. Bottled at 37.8% ABV, it will be available from the official website, at the Four Pillars Distillery, Healesville, Vic and Four Pillars Lab, Surry Hills, Sydney and from all good bottle shops. It is priced at A$85 ($ USD) per 700ml bottle.
Last month, Four Pillars and Qantas teamed up to release QF100 Gin to celebrate the airline’s centenary. Previously, the two Australian brands worked together on a series of cocktails to be served on flights.
In March, Four Pillars teamed up with Stranger & Sons to create Spice Trade Gin. The new offering marks the first collaboration between the iconic Australian distillery and the award winning Goa-based spirits makers.
