Best in Australia in The Gin Guide Awards 2024, and a Gold medal from the World Gin Awards that same year: AmberChes Orange Gin earned both honours with a simple idea. The Swan Valley distillery makes it with fresh whole oranges and offers it at 42% ABV, in 700 ml, 500 ml and 200 ml sizes.

Using the whole fruit, rather than peel alone, brings every part of the orange into the spirit: the fragrant oils of the skin, the brighter notes of the juice and the slightly bitter edge of the pith. The distillery promises an intense orange flavour that is refreshing and invigorating, with a smooth, crisp taste and zesty notes, and juniper keeps the gin anchored in dry territory. The pith adds a gentle bitterness, so the fruit never tastes candied.

The judges of the 2024 World Gin Awards described a bright, citrus-forward gin, with sweet orange leading on the nose and palate and a clementine-heavy aroma. They noted a round, oily mouthfeel and a burst of orange essence, followed by a pleasant juniper and piney finish. That oily texture comes naturally from citrus oils, which also explains why the orange stays present from start to finish. The IWSC classes it as a Contemporary Gin from Australia, a fair label for a recipe where fruit leads.

The gin already had a solid record, with a Silver at the 2021 Global Gin Masters and a second one from the Australian Gin Awards that year, then a Bronze from the 2022 World Gin Awards. AmberChes, founded in 2020 by Dean, Heather, Alicia and Lauren, recommends it for cocktails or casual sipping. In a long drink, a light tonic leaves room for the fruit and an orange wheel repeats its main aroma; it also works well in a Negroni, where orange is the classic partner of gin and bitter aperitif.