An Evening with Archie Rose

In addition to expertly blended small-batch gins, Sydney-based Archie Rose Distillery offers gin blending workshops and sneak peak tours into their behind-the-scenes processes.

Named after a slang word for illegally distilled alcohol (Archie) and its suburban location (Rosbery), Archie Rose is full of passion and alcohol-nerdism.

Against a backdrop of barrels and fermentation tanks, it was captivating to hear such a passionate and animated guide walk us through the stages of gin-making from barley to final liquid. We were able to sample the alcohol throughout the various stages – nibbling barley (crunchy), trying the head and heart of the liquor (practically toxic), and finally mixing our own brew (bring it on).

Blending our own gin was both the most enjoyable and stressful event of the night. We were given a variety of 8 flavours to mix into two bottles of pure distilled alcohol. Cassia bark, fresh ginger and juniper were amongst my favourites. The art of blending gin turned out to be much more complex than I anticipated and has certainly refined my appreciation for the liquor.
Overall, the experience was pricey at $95 a head, but was a highly memorable, boozy learning experience.