Aussie distilleries showcased in unique gin advent calendar

Aussie gin specialist Gintonica has released a gin advent calendar, claimed to be the only of its kind in the world with specially designed ‘mini-me’ distiller labels.

It also boasts the largest gin sample bottles on the Australian market, at 50ml of Aussie craft gin per bottle. David Box, manager of Gintonica, says: “Our slogan is ‘enough to sip, mix and share’ but so many people say that they have no intentions of sharing”.

The 24 bottles of gin come from all across the country, from big players to micro-distilleries, from the well established to new producers. Included are tasting notes from the distillers and a recommendation on how to best enjoy the gins from Philip Jones, aka The Martini Whisperer.

While the calendar is targeted heavily at consumers looking to make the festive season dissolve away at gin o’clock every December evening, Box says the calendar also solves a familiar dilemma.

“Some liquor stores now have a wall of gin and most is local, so which one do you buy? Selecting a craft gin without a taste is not a good idea. The calendar solves this problem.”

The one drawback is that the Gintonica calendar comes with a fairly hefty price tag, at $275. “This is definitely not for bargain hunters,” says Box. “We do all the hard work for real gin lovers who have no time to visit cellar doors, special tasting events, or the budget to pay $12 a shot at specialist gin bars.”

“While the popularity of gin is still growing overseas, here in Australia gin it is booming,” he adds. “The number of gin distilleries has nearly doubled in the last couple of years. The real surprise is that plenty of people still don’t know that we make gin in Australia, or that our gin is winning worldwide recognition and top awards.”