Try A Gin Tasting Platter At This Excellent Kangaroo Island Distillery
We’ve said before that Kangaroo Island might just be home to Australia’s best gin. The spirits – they don’t only make gin – at Kangaroo Island Spirits truly are excellent, and we recommend you head to the distillery itself for the full experience.
[related_articles]49154[/related_articles]Kangaroo Island Spirits now offers a Gin Platter. Now this isn’t just a bar to mix up your own G&T (though you will be doing that). The Gin Platter at KIS gives you a bunch of their award-winning spirits to try alongside several types of Fever Tree Tonic, many (many) aromatic bitters, and freshly sourced local botanicals to add to your concoction.
Sound complicated? It is – but in the best way. Staff at the distillery will guide your blends and suggest certain pairing they themselves or previous customers have enjoyed, but you’re free to go rogue and mix up anything you want. There are countless ways you can add these ingredient for delicious gin concoctions.
The Kangaroo Island Spirits Gin Platter
Start with your gin – I had Old Tom Gin, Mulberry Gin, O’Gin and Wild Gin to choose from – and a selection of tonic, such as Fever Tree Indian Tonic, Mediterranean Tonic or even Ginger Beer. Next up is aromatic bitters – which KIS makes onsite – like cinnamon, orange or whisky bitters. Then pick a garnish of amazing ingredients like dried orange, juniper, dried beetroot, or fresh mint, basil or thyme.
It all makes for the ultimate tasting experience. Each thing you add to your concoction brings out a different flavour to the gin you use, highlighting a new botanical. it’s easy to get carried away with the platter, but know you’ll be making little mini drinks rather than full cocktails. All the more for the tasting!
I found that the KIS Mulberry Gin paired particularly well with ginger beer and a sprig of basil. I could drink it all day!
The Kangaroo Island Spirits Gin Platter experience, which costs $35 per person, runs for an hour to 90 minutes, and you’ll serve yourself the equivalent of two and a half standard drinks.
[related_articles]56697,49650,71601[/related_articles]Afterwards you can enjoy the outdoor tables at the distillery with a few more drinks, taste the rest of the range (including SLAP Vodka, which is infused with samphire, lime zest and pepper – yum) or the award-winning Whisky Barrel Gin. If you liked what you tasted, you can buy bottles at the bar, or sets of three 200ml bottles of different varieties.
If this experience has piqued your interest, you can also do a Blend Your Own Gin class, during which you’ll learn the history of gin, create your own spirit from a range of traditional and native distillates, and take home a 200ml bottle of your creation. You can even order extra bottles of your special blend to be sent you you later on. The experience is $90 per person, takes two hours, and includes around four standard drinks – including a G&T made with your own gin.
[related_articles]71601[/related_articles]Check out the Kangaroo Island Spirits range online, and definitely head to the distillery cellar door experience – it’s the best way to taste some of Australia’s best gin.
[qantas_widget code=KGC]Check out Qantas flights to begin your Kangaroo Island adventure.[/qantas_widget]The writer was a guest of the South Australia Tourism Commission.
(Lead image: South Australian Tourism Commission / Kangaroo Island Spirits)