Celebrating World Gin Day Broome-style

Broome’s only distillery became the heart of celebrations for World Gin Day over the weekend, drawing in locals and visitors to indulge in an array of drink specials, live music and a deep dive into the history of gin. The atmosphere was buzzing at Moontide Distillery on June 8, as Nic Eastwood kept audiences entertained while they sipped on gin tasting boards and special cocktails crafted by cellar door manager Ailan Hickey and the team. Master distiller Bernice Ressel, who pursued her passion for distilling after a career as a school principal, said it was important to acknowledge World Gin Day as consumer demand for gin is currently on the decline. “There’s other spirits taking over a bit more but World Gin Day brings gin back into people’s minds,” she said. “Maybe people will also be inspired to read a little but about the history . . . and it’s a piece of culture that definitely deserves being preserved.” Ms Ressel said while other demand for spirits such as limoncello and tequila were on the rise, she finds distilling spirits, particularly gin, fascinating due to the ample botanicals of the Kimberley. “All the flavours here like wattleseed and boab I didn’t know of until I came to Australia, and now wattleseed is one of my favourite flavours,” she said. “When the distillery started about four years ago, (co-founders) Trish Davidson and Andrew Davidson wanted to showcase the flavours of the Kimberley and the recipes incorporated heaps of native botanicals, and if they weren’t native they were at least local. “I also work with (Mayi Harvests founder) Pat Torres who supplies me with all the native botanicals that they harvest from traditional land, so that’s been a huge learning curve for me and sets us apart from other distilleries.” The Broome Advertiser’s cocktail favourites: World Gin Day special The Pearlers Mooncello ($19) was a zesty twist on the classic gin and tonic combo and perfect for a summer day. Crafted with Pearlers Gin, the limited edition Mooncello (Kimberley-inspired limoncello), tonic and fresh lemon, the cocktail offers an enticing blend of citrus and botanicals. The Zesty Chai Refresher ($19) was another highlight, featuring Moontide cointreu, Moontide chai spirit, orange and soda. The cocktail masterfully balances the warmth of chai spices with the bright zest of citrus, resulting in a unique and invigorating beverage. Moontide Distillery cellar door is open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 11.30am-5pm, with open days and times seasonally adjusted.