Hickson House has released a gin that’s decidedly rooted in place. Looking to its surroundings for inspiration, the Sydney-based distillery has captured the essence of the Australian coastline in a bottle with the new Hickson House Oyster Shell Gin. The newcomer sees the distillery’s signature Classic Dry Gin—a London dry gin made with classic and native botanicals—infused with a slew of native Australian ingredients, including Sydney Rock oysters.
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A mainstay on summer menus thanks to their creamy texture and briny flavours, crushed Sydney Rock oyster shells are paired with seaside botanicals including old man saltbush, seaweek, and tarragon, as well as bright citrus notes of native finger lime and ruby grapefruit in this concoction. The resultant spirit is a craft gin that boasts a subtle salinity and minerality and a long, dry finish with a saltiness that lingers on the palate.
The conception of the premium craft gin arose as a response to heightened demand for artisanal spirits with distinct flavour profiles; something the Oyster Shell Gin delivers on, transporting imbibers to the distillery’s location under the Harbour Bridge.
“Matching flavour profile, intensity and drinking experience to capture a feeling and place is really what we aimed for with the Oyster Shell gin and we wanted to create a sea-to-glass texture and taste,” explains Tim Stones, head distiller at Hickson House. “Each of the botanicals are selected from seaside locations across Australia to bring to life this hand-crafted spirit, and tell a sensory story of the diversity of flora and fauna that makes our coastline so unique.”
With its minerality and salinity, the Hickson House Oyster Shell Gin is an apt fit for use in gin and tonics and martinis alike. The latter in particular offers a fresh twist on the classic cocktail, lending it a brininess not dissimilar to that of a dirty martini.
Priced at $88AUD and available at the Hickson House distillery in Sydney’s The Rocks as well as through its webstore, the Oyster Shell Gin is set to be the sip of summer.
Words by Henry Blake
