Food and Drink

Four Pillar’s New Christmas Gin Has The Sweetest Story Behind It

A gin with a story.

four pillars christmas gin 2021

Every year, Four Pillars releases an Australian Christmas gin. I know in my household, it wouldn’t be the holidays without it. Although, this year, when the highly-anticipated new release dropped in my inbox, I was taken aback by its story.

The holidays tend to bring up family memories, and for distiller Cameron Mackenzie, this year’s Christmas gin was the perfect opportunity to pay tribute to four things he loves: Australia, Christmas, gin, and his late mum; Wilma.

Each year Wilma would use the 1968 Australian Women’s Weekly recipe to make her puddings on Victoria Derby Day, the Saturday before Melbourne Cup, while the rest of the family listened to the races.

On Derby Day 2015, and again on every Derby Day from then on, Cam and his family, joined by the families of co-founders Stu Gregor and Matt Jones, would make puddings to Wilma’s recipe and put them in the botanical basket of Wilma (still, named after Cam’s mum) and distil a gin.

While physically being together for the now annual tradition has proven tricky for the past two years, the spirit of Wilma’s pudding-making lives on as the Mackenzies, Gregors and Joneses continue to make puddings to this recipe together in spirit with a little help from Zoom.

Cam then distils the pudding and ages the resulting gin in Rutherglen Muscat barrels for a year. To finish, he adds a slight tweak of Rutherglen Classic Muscat to round out the palate with a touch of richness.

The resulting gin, smells like gin and tastes like Christmas. Aromatics of classic juniper and a hint of cinnamon backed up with a rich, luscious palate with a hint of sweetness from the Muscat and richness from the extended barrel ageing.

While you can expect the same delicious Christmassy gin, perfect for mixing up a Gin & Ginger or pouring over your pudding, what does change each year, is the label.

Each year, the label represents a beloved Australian Christmas element. This year, Cairns-based artist Andrea Huelin shares her perfect Australian Christmas lunch scene on the label.

Andrea is best known for her colourful still life paintings of fruit, glassware and everyday household items and the result, Prawns & Pavlova, is the cool festive lunch for Australia’s hot, hot Christmas afternoons.

four pillars christmas gin 2021

Alongside the new Christmas gin, Four Pillars have released gin puddings, gin relishes, prawns and pavlova tea towels, and a Four Pillars Rare Dry gin glaze—everything you need for the Christmas table.

You can shop everything Four Pillars has on offer for the festive season online, here.

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Food and Drink

Red Rooster Is Serving Free Chicken and Piping Hot Cash This Christmas in July

Get your early dose of festive cheer.

Red Rooster Christmas in July
Instagram / @redrooster_au

The cold weather in most parts of Australia coinciding with EOFY celebrations is the closest thing that we’ll get to snowy Christmas vibes. And if you’re in dire need of some festive cheer after the first six months of 2023, grab your ugly sweater and head to your nearest Red Rooster for Xmas in July deals.

From June 29 – July 31, 2023, Red Rooster is serving up free food items, a chance to win $10,000 or one of 10 merch packs valued at $400 and other fun prizes. All you have to do is sign up as a Red Royalty member and spend $5 on at a location near you or online.

Each week there’ll be new delicious deals and prizes to win. The week one deals have already dropped and they’re looking pretty tasty. You can get access to them via your Red Royalty account. The more you purchase, the more chances you have to win.

Spoiler alert: you can get 10 chicken nuggets for free, right now. Brb running to Red Rooster.

Terms and conditions apply. Visit Red Rooster’s Christmas in July to see all the deals.

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