Davidson plums, a tart native Australian fruit, steep for up to four months in Little Juniper's signature gin to make Rare Plum Gin. Little Juniper is a certified organic distillery in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia, working with sustainably sourced botanicals from both local and international growers. For this gin it buys its plums from Indigenous-owned Davidson plum farms, and adds hibiscus to the fruit. The gin, at 40% ABV, comes in 70 cl, and it won a bronze medal at the Australian Gin Awards in 2022, a recognition of the distillery's work with native fruit.

Fruity · Earthy

Davidson plums grow on rainforest trees native to northern New South Wales and Queensland, and they are strikingly sour, with deep purple flesh and a high acidity that makes them hard to eat raw. During the long maceration, the natural sugars of the gin tame that acidity, while the fruit gives the spirit its colour and a rich, earthy plum flavour. Hibiscus adds a floral, slightly tart note that suits the fruit.

In the distillery's words, the gin offers sweetness, a little tang and earthy plum flavours that stand on their own. The juniper of the base gin remains present underneath, so the drink stays balanced between fruit and spirit. Tasted neat and cool, the plum is deep and slightly jammy; over ice, the tang becomes more noticeable, and the finish keeps a gentle grip from the plum skins.

Little Juniper recommends it straight over ice or with soda water. For a sweeter drink, it suggests lemonade or an elderberry tonic, and it also works well in a Negroni, where the plum meets the bitterness of the aperitif. A thin slice of plum or a few fresh berries make the simplest garnish, and a sprig of thyme adds an earthy herbal note.