Melbourne Gin Company (MGC) launched in the very early days of the Australian gin renaissance, getting started in 2012, same year as The Ginstress! So this review feels particularly overdue. Don’t worry, I have been drinking and enjoying it all along, but just now getting to the review. We always seem to have an MGC on hand as it’s one of the few great Australian gins that’s in duty free so we just seem to pick one up everytime either of us leave the country.
MGC is made by Andrew Marks in the Yarra Valley. Marks’ background is in winemaking where he developed technical skills, nose and palate. I love that he started out in his kitchen with a little 5L still over a big candle.
PROCESS
MGC is made in a 130L copperpot alembic still from Portugal. Each botanical is distilled individually and blended which makes the gin very consistent over seasonal variations. It comes in at a nicely balanced 42% for an inspired dry style gin.
BOTANICALS
Juniper
Angelica
Coriander seed
Orris root
Cassia bark
Macadamia
Sandalwood
Honey lemon myrtle
Grapefruit peel
Naval oranges
Rosemary
TASTING NOTES
The most noticeable thing up from with MGC is the buttery texture that I think comes from the macadamias. There is a sweetness at the front from orange, grapefruit, honey lemon myrtle and sandalwood. It rounds off gently with juniper and the earthy notes lingering.
IN DRINKS
When it comes to matching or contrasting flavours I’m agnostic. In some gins a match of garnish is just right, for others a contrast is better. I’m such a sucker for grapefruit that I went with that. In a gin and tonic I used Fever-tree Indian tonic water and Bittermens hopped grapefruit bitters and a twist of grapefruit peel. So delicious and refreshing.
In fact the grapefruit worked so well that I continued the theme and garnished a super dry martini with grapefruit peel for an equally excellent result. MGC also works well with a lemon twist or a buttery green Sicilian olive, though I wouldn’t take it so far as dirty with added brine.
WHAT OTHERS SAY
Gin Foundry
The Martini Whisperer