From a sheep station in Western Australia to a revolutionary distillery in Sydney – Goodradigbee Distillers is making headlines in 2024 with their new drinks category.
Goodradigbee Distillers’ story starts off unlike others: on a sheep station in Western Australia. From burning an old jarrah railway sleeper to unveil the waft of cinnamon, Founder John O’Connor went on to study how spirits were made in the UK. Promising to build a business based on innovation, John wanted to do something uniquely Australian.
This is where Australian hardwood cubes come in which later proved to be the success behind Goodradigbee’s involvement in the Tokyo Whisky Awards, London Spirits Awards, the Australian Gin Awards and, not to forget, the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards.
But why hardwood cubes? Rather than using traditional maturing methods by using French or American oak barrels, Goodradigbee’s hardwood cubes create a much higher wood-to-liquid volume which enables a more sweeter yet complex flavour and, on top of this, a more mature colour profile in the spirit that is achieved in months rather than the decade it usually takes.
Goodradigbee Distillers, Sydney. Image supplied.
Although they are speeding up the processing time, this new distilling method delivers more on taste and complexity.
“By maturing our spirits in these beautiful Australian hardwood cubes, we’re embracing their qualities and producing a sweet, complex, and one-of-a-kind taste in a fraction of the time it takes other distilleries. This is not a whisky, what we’ve uncovered is a new spirits category through how we mature our single malt spirits. Our business is not set and forget, we monitor and store the liquids in the cubes, a process that is unique to Goodradigbee Distillers,” O’Connor says.
With the likes of Jarrah Ironbark Yellow, Ironbark Red and Tasmania Blackwood used for their hardwoods, Goodradigbee Distillers chose these materials because of their hard and dense nature thanks to the weather extremes they experience. Reacting violently with the spirits, each of the hardwoods crack and open up, absorbing the liquid to create the sweet, complex and extremely delicious taste.
Goodradigbee Distillers, Sydney. Image supplied
Beyond the maturation process, Goodradigbee Distillers is also making headlines for their recently launched distillery bar and cellar door. Offering guests a glimpse into the unique distilling process, the Brookvale venue is also a hotspot for a creative collection of cocktails that pairs charismatically with their food menu that also highlights a lengthy list of native Australian ingredients and flavours.
For your visit we recommend opting for a distillery tour before heading over the bar to try the Adam and Eve cocktail made with Goodradigbee Jarrah Malt that’s infused with fig leaves and then mixed with lemon juice, coconut syrup, soda and meringue. Munch your way through their Bar Snacks menu or opt for one of their Masterclasses or Tastings that can be paired with food too.
Goodradigbee Distillers
41 Orchard Rd, Brookvale, NSW 2100
0410 841 007
Website
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