The creative, innovative craft spirits industry is on a speedy upward trajectory across the globe and spirits lovers are being introduced to a whole new selection of hand-made, artisanal gins, brandies and liqueurs which they have an opportunity to explore. Hand in hand with the incredible growth of the industry and the number of distillers trying to make their mark in this space, comes a more discerning consumer.
The Source, the Story and Production Processes
Consumer palates are evolving and becoming increasingly intrigued by the provenance of their drinks of choice, with the current generation of spirits fanatics on the lookout for a wide selection of unique tastes, as well as a growing desire to know the source, story, production processes and ingredients beyond the botanicals. Consumers who are choosing to buy local craft spirits are now more eager than ever to support local distillers in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
What Is The Difference Between a Neutral & Non-Neutral Base Spirit?
So just how is your favourite tipple made and why is it made that way? What is the difference between a neutral and non-neutral base spirit, and is it best to choose grape or grain? At Bass & Flinders Distillery we are passionate about creating handcrafted, unique spirits with a real sense of place. True to our namesakes we have the freedom and desire to produce spirits of adventure with a focus on sourcing local native botanicals and showcasing true regional character across our entire range of artisanal gins, brandies and liqueurs.
Eau de Vie or 'Water of Life'
We believe that producing a world-class spirit takes patience. It requires creativity and attention to detail, which is why we choose to make our own grape-based eau de vie (French for ‘Water of Life’) for our entire product range, including our gins. Inspired by the finest of French brandies produced in the Charente region of France, our second-generation Head Distiller Holly Klintworth is taking the lead in the family business, blending old world techniques with modern technologies to harness the unique flavours of our grape based spirit as an additional botanical within its own right, adding flavour and complexity with a local twist.
Neutral Spirit As a Base
Many gins you will have tried from across the globe possibly originated with a neutral grain spirit, a base spirit of at least 95% abv that is predominantly flavourless and odourless. It’s very difficult to link the spirit to its base material – whether this be grape, grain, potato or sugarcane for instance. It would require an incredibly refined palate to perceive the differences between these neutral spirits or harness its flavour or aroma enough to influence the finished gin. Regardless of the raw material the neutral spirit originates from, due to the spirit being distilled to 95% ABV or above, there is decidedly a minimal amount of impact on the final product as far as flavour and aroma is concerned.
At this point, it is technically considered organoleptically flavourless. Such a neutral spirit is usually prized by most gin distillers as it provides a completely neutral, clean base to start from, with the focus being purely on their botanicals of choice. It can also be more economically viable and cost effective in terms of time and capital expenditure.
The Heart and Soul of Bass & Flinders Distillery
At Bass & Flinders we choose to do things differently. We work with a non-neutral base spirit, crafted from scratch on-site at our home in Dromana from 100% Victorian grapes sourced from a single vineyard. In using a traditional 300 litre gas-fired alembic pot still and harnessing traditional Charentais double distillation techniques it is not possible to produce a neutral spirit, only being able to distil the spirit to a maximum of 70% ABV by nature of the type of traditional pot still used. The resulting non-neutral grape-based spirit is used as the basis for all our gins, brandies and liqueurs and is the heart and soul of all we do here at Bass & Flinders Distillery. This non-neutral base spirit is not stripped of all its flavour and aroma at only 70% ABV and the resulting eau de vie adds more texture and underlying flavour and aromas to the gin.
Grape-Based Spirit: Our Unique Processes
This is a unique process for gin. While most distillers focus on the botanical blend, we prefer to celebrate the flavour of the grapes even before it’s distilled, and work closely with the winemaker to specify sugar levels, pH, acidity and ripeness which all affect the final flavour profile. We’re able to work closely with the winemaker to exploit the grape quality and microclimate of the vineyard, the ‘terroir’, so that our eau de vie grape-based spirit reflects the unique unblended flavours and aromas of its source. It’s incredibly important to us that we have complete control over all aspects of the vineyard, winemaking and production process, right from the start when the grapes are delicately picked from their vines through to the full flavour, aromas and viscosity of our final blend.
Quintessential Australian Grape Varieties
We distil shiraz for our gins, for its bolder black fruits and pepper spice varietal characteristics to complement and work in harmony with our botanical blends, adding flavour, texture viscosity and character to the spirit. We distil chardonnay wine for our brandy as a quintessentially Australian variety and for its exceptional ageing potential. We have selected a particular clone, for its properties that are more comparable to the white grape varieties Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche which are used to make fine brandy in the Charentais region of France.
Single Vineyard Spirit
It is quite rare in Australia to source chardonnay wine from a single vineyard for the production of brandy. ‘Single Vineyard’ spirit means we have a specific vineyard’s grapes allocated for our use every year. For us, Single Vineyard is about traditional methods, attention to detail and knowing where every ingredient that goes into our finished product comes from. Working with a single grape variety – chardonnay for our brandy and shiraz for our gins – and specifying the exact flavour profile we’re looking for through the winemaking process, we believe results in a superior product and offers consumers greater choice for their enjoyment and consideration. Our holistic approach with our gins, brandies and liqueurs makes high quality, premium artisanal spirits with full flavour and texture that remain true to their source by celebrating the character of the vineyard.
Crafted at Bass & Flinders Distillery
Crafted right here at our Distillery Door in Dromana on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula, our unique vine-to-bottle methods and quest for traceability in the industry results in a very traditional, artisanal pursuit of excellence that requires a great deal of time and patience and a mastery of the art of distillation. What we do and the technical process we choose to harness is a pure labour of love that reflects our dedication to quality. And we love it.
