Perth local James Young, ASDA’s Champion Distiller in 2017 and 2018 and of Old Young’s fame, has launched his ten year passion project – a gin from the little Western Australian town of Gingin.
His small tin shed distillery, Old Young’s, opened in 2016 and Young has been working away with ambitions to launch a world class gin since then. After twenty-four recipes to perfect, Gingin Gin was finally launched last week.
Gingin Gin’s Batch 1, made with local ingredients and the pristine water from there, was crafted at Old Young’s Swan Valley operation. Operations will shift in January to the former Riseborough Estate Winery site when the next generation ‘smart’ still imported from the Netherlands arrives. The Gingin Gin Tasting Room is expected to open in February 2021.
While Gingin may be on the opposite side of the world to London or gin’s other birthplace, Holland, its indigenous meaning – ‘the place of many streams’, signifies water purity, which is the basis of any good spirit.
“I have been a gin guy ever since I downed my first G&T at the age of 18. The town of Gingin, one hour from where I was born, is not only aptly named, but also uniquely credentialed to make a truly exceptional gin. A food bowl brimming with local botanicals; a place where pristine waters meet; and where Italian juniper and German angelica meet local lemons, oranges, and olive leaf. Where tea from Sri Lanka brews out back to give the world’s finest ingredients a twist. A place that turns gin’s heritage into a new tradition.
“To get the flavour profile exactly right was a labour of love. Whereas it usually takes me around five or so attempts to get my spirits to a point I’m ready to share with the public, Gingin Gin was different. It had to be next level perfection to do its namesake justice, which is why I was only eventually satisfied with our 24th recipe. Something like COVID only happens once in a hundred years and I definitely made use of the focused time it afforded me. I’m so proud of this gin – I believe the quality of this ‘juice’ is befitting of this town’s name,” said Young.
The gin has already been a massive success with retailers in the lead up to Christmas. Each Dan Murphy’s in West Australia has taken delivery of the spirit, with one retailer immediately placing an instant order of fifteen more cases due to the pedigree of its stablemates.
Gingin Gin is also available to buy now from Old Young’s Swan Valley Tasting Room and online.
