Our first foray into savoury, Mediterranean-inspired gin flavours was our 2015 limited-edition Cousin Vera Gin made with our friends at Santamanía Destileria Urbana in Madrid. Now six years ago, it was from the making of that gin that we knew gin and olives combined beautifully. And that there was a real love for savoury gin.
A few years later we paid a visit to our great mates at Cobram Estate in Victoria’s Boundary Bend during olive harvest, and it was there that we realised olive oil could actually be a brilliant botanical alongside dried olive leaves.
Then came the countless trials to perfect the gin. The aroma, flavour and texture of fresh olive is stunning, and so we did an entire year of trials before finalising the recipe.
Along with the cold-pressed olive oils and olive leaf, we landed on botanicals like rosemary and bay leaf that transport you to the Mediterranean (even though they’re from Cam’s garden), while native macadamia nuts and lemon myrtle make the gin distinctly modern Australian.
The result is a completely delicious, savoury and bright gin that we released in August 2020. Here’s cheers to a year of delicious Martinis.
Sipping on a gin balloon full of ice and deliciously garnished Gintonic, it’s easy to imagine you’re in Spain.
INGREDIENTS
- 45mL Olive Leaf Gin
- 120mL good tonic water
- Lemon
- Rosemary
METHOD
- Fill a large wine glass with ice
- Add gin and tonic
- Garnish with lemon slices and a sprig of rosemary
Add some dirty tonic and an olive to this G&T to get into the savoury spirit of our Olive Leaf Gin.
INGREDIENTS
- 45mL Olive Leaf Gin
- 90mL dirty tonic water
- Orange
- Sicilian olives
METHOD
- Add gin and tonic to a short glass with lots of ice
- Garnish with orange slices and two Sicilian olives
This classic wet Martini doubles down on the olives to give you the perfect apéro hour drink, with nibbles included.
INGREDIENTS
- 60mL Olive Leaf Gin
- 20mL dry vermouth
- Olive oil
- Lemon
- Sicilian olives
METHOD
- Stir gin and vermouth in a mixing glass over ice
- Strain into a frozen cocktail glass
- Twist lemon peel over to express the oils, then discard
- Garnish with a few drops of olive oil
- Serve with a side dish of Sicilian olives
Olive Leaf Gin is made for this style of Martini. Cameron’s favourite, with the addition of cocktail onions and a little dry sherry.
INGREDIENTS
- 60mL Olive Leaf Gin
- 10mL dry vermouth
- 10mL fino sherry
- Cocktail onions
METHOD
- Stir gin, vermouth and sherry in a mixing glass over ice (add a little onion brine if you like)
- Strain into a frozen cocktail glass
- Serve with a side dish of Sicilian olives
