Visit six Perth gin distilleries on a free live-streaming tour this Saturday
Updated: 30 Apr 2020
Elise Matheson
In the past couple of years, the local gin scene has taken off in Perth, with a host of small batch, independent distilleries opening up and making use of WA botanicals. There are now between 10 - 15 gin distilleries in WA and several bars catering to gin lovers, such as Frisk Small Bar, The Flour Factory and Hyde Perth.
With gin bars closed, and gin distilleries no longer able to do tastings, Monique Boucher, Director of Hidden DeTours has added a gin tour to her series of Iso-Tours. Last weekend’s wine tour was a big success, with over a thousand participants and ‘visited’ wineries flocked with orders.
To be held this Saturday May 2, over four hours Monique will livestream on Facebook a tour of six distilleries in Welshpool, Swan Valley and O’Connor. The virtual tour will stop in at Old Youngs, Swan Valley Gin Co, Sin Gin, High Spirits, Harris Organic and Wandering Distillery for 20 minutes each. Participants are free to drop in and out and the start time at each distillery is scheduled in advance.
Rottnest Island Gin to life with boutique liquor store The Wine Thief.
Unlike the real-life gin tours, on Saturday’s tour, for the first time you’ll get to visit Wandering Distillery. Alongside being kept busy making ethanol for hand sanitiser in past weeks, their signature gin is a dry gin with citrus notes from native botanicals including lemon myrtle and orange peel, and a bit of spice from cassia, angelica root and pepper.
Get to know more about Perth’s local gin scene, and join the tour this Saturday from 1pm – 5pm here: https://www.facebook.com/events/809891872870567/
It’s an entirely free tour, where you’ll get tonnes of insights from the distillers themselves, as they discuss how their gin is made, what juniper berries are used, and what botanicals give it a unique WA flavour!
They will then each showcase 2 – 3 gins from their selection and provide some tips on pairing with tonics and garnishes. As with the virtual wine tour, you’ll even be able to ask the distillers questions in real time.
In preparation for the big event, participants are encouraged to grab a couple of bottles direct from the distilleries to recreate the experience at home. Alternatively, you can learn more about the gins on the day and pick up your favourites for later.
“We suggest that people buying gin from our distilleries speak with the distiller directly to ask for the best pairing. It's good to have some tonic, sparkling water, soda water or any garnishes they love to pop in their gin just in case too,” Monique advised.
With gin giants Hendricks and Gordons usually dominating the market, a lot of local WA distilleries unfortunately fall under the radar.
Passionate about gin, Monique Boucher, director of Hidden DeTours, launched her popular gin tours last year. During the tours, intimate groups limited to 13 visit were able to go behind the scenes at local distilleries and get an in-depth taste for the art of gin-making.
“It’s called Hidden DeTours because people don’t usually know about them,” Monique revealed. “The gin distilleries featured [in the Iso-Tour] are the ones we would usually visit on the gin tour. We really want to shine a light on what they are doing and support them during this time.”
Old Young Distillery, for instance, produces a ‘Six Seasons Gin’ based on the six seasons of the Noongar People, and recently helped bring