When you’re done chasing down that hard-won final bottle of Bloody Shiraz Gin, Four Pillars have something new for Australia that is shaping up as one of the gin distillery’s most exciting releases in years. Nodding to the label’s ongoing love affair with citrus fruits is the new Four Pillars Fresh Yuzu Gin, recently released as part of Four Pillars’ core range and making good on an experiment that has been bubbling behind the scenes for the past few years.
As per a media release, Four Pillars Fresh Yuzu Gin is the logical next step following citrus steadily taking on a more prominent role at the Four Pillars Distillery. I guess it could also be seen as somewhat of a sequel to the limited edition Rarer Dry Gin, which was released in 2020 and was defined primarily by switching out the usual organic oranges used in Rare Dry Gin for fresh yellow yuzu.
Those familiar with the label would know that the team has messed around with yuzu in particular since first collaborating with Kisumé – one of the best Japanese restaurants in Japan – in 2017 for the limited edition Pure Kisumé Gin, and once again in 2019 via their Distillery Series Changing Seasons Gin made in partnership with Japan’s first dedicated gin distillery, The Kyoto Distillery.
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Both of the above releases were massive hits among Australian gin fans, so it makes a lot of sense that Four Pillars would eventually commit to something a bit more permanent. After all, citrus botanicals have been a major part of Four Pillars’ tremendous growth for the past four or five years, from Navy Strength Gin with finger limes to experiments with blood orange, grapefruit, kumquat and bergamot.
Yuzu was undoubtedly chosen because for many it’s the ultimate citrus. The fruit is native to China, Tibet and Japan and is defined by aromatics that are essentially a mix of mandrin, lemon, grapefruit and kumquat. Although it does grow in Australia, and Four Pillars Distillery just happens to be in the centre of one of the best growing regions for the fruit – Healesville in Ovens Valley.
Sourcing from specialty growers of cool climate citrus, Mountain Yuzu, Four Pillars has cobbled together a gin they describe as incredibly bright and of course powerfully citrus on the palate. There should be a decent amount of spice as well, seeing as the team has used ginger, turmeric and a Japanese green tea called sencha genmaicha to the bill. The recipe is rounded out by a canvas of strong pine-needle juniper, as well as some lemon myrtle and lemon curd and some finger lime to add a deeper citrus character.
Bottled at 41.8% ABV, Four Pillars Fresh Yuzu Gin is now available directly from Four Pillars for an RRP of $80.
