Blackwattle Imperial Dry Gin

Blackwattle redistils collected heads and tailsHeart cutOnly the middle part of the distillate is kept. The overly volatile heads and the heavy tails are set aside.Glossary from its runs in a Queen's Run. Fresh botanicals are added during this further distillation, and its heart becomes Imperial Dry GinDry ginGin with no perceptible sweetness: in the European Union, the word "dry" allows at most 0.1 g of sugar per litre.GlossarySee Dry gin gins. Rather than a stronger version of another gin, it is the product of this separate run, with additional juniper, ruby grapefruit and rosemary in the botanical basketVapour infusionBotanicals sit in a basket above the liquid, so only the alcohol vapour passes through them, for a lighter, fresher extraction.Glossary.

Citrus · Dry · Herbal

Rosemary brings a dry herbal dimension, softened by the ruby grapefruit. The fruit adds a citrus lift against the resinousResinousAn aroma reminiscent of pine or fir resin. It is juniper's signature, due to compounds such as pinene.Glossary juniper, and at 47% ABV the gin carries those flavours with real intensity, which makes it well suited to a long drink.

Imperial Dry won the 2026 Queensland Royal Show trophy and received silver in the contemporary category at the Australian Gin Awards the same year. This Australian gin is offered in a 700 ml bottle.

Blackwattle was conceived beside Blackwattle Bay during the second pandemic lockdown. Production and bottling take place on Gadigal and Wangal land in Rozelle, where the distillery occupies the heritage Steelworks complex and runs Julia, its 120-litre copper pot stillPot stillA traditional still, often copper, that distils in batches. It keeps more texture and character than a column.Glossary. John Wren created Battleship, the artwork on the label.

To serve, fill a stemmed wine glass with ice, add 5 cl gin, a pink grapefruit wedge and a fresh rosemary sprig, then pour in 14 cl The London Essence Company Original Indian Tonic Water. The garnish echoes the recipe: the grapefruit adds brightness and the rosemary its fragrance as the glass is raised. The Indian tonic lengthens the drink with a gentle bitter contrast that preserves its dry character.