For founder James Greig, distilling was a hobby that got out of hand. It all began two years ago when he decided to buy a 1000-litre copper still, which he named Walter, kick-starting the entrepreneur’s journey to creating a new brand of small-batch gin. While it wasn’t the smoothest market launch (thanks coronavirus), James, Walter and the team have been inundated with sales for its first-ever release – the Wildflower Signature Gin – which takes inspiration from the local flowers that flourish in the Gold Coast region. Along with releasing the gin online and to retailers, Wildflower’s Scottsdale Drive distillery also features a cellar door, which is now open to the public for sales and order pick-ups.
Its flagship signature gin is a dry, floral number with a botanical burst from lemon myrtle, cardamom, cassia and gentle hints of James’ own backyard honey. While it’s been crafted as easy-drinking and a great ‘introductory’ gin, it can also be enjoyed neat or on the rocks for the full botanical experience. Given the small-batch nature of the brand, we can expect to see some exciting limited-edition gin releases to come out of the Burleigh Heads distillery over the coming months – along with some tasty aged bourbons and whiskies! Wildflower will also be hosting hands-on gin-making masterclasses from June 19, which you can book into directly via the website.
Keen to sip the newest Gold Coast-made drop? You can purchase the Wildflower Signature Gin online here, or head on down to the cellar door to have a chat to James and the team.