About
Never Never Distilling Co. is the story of three mates with a shared passion for flavour and the lofty ambition to create Australia’s most exciting and innovative gin brand. It’s the culmination of our separate journeys, three paths walked that intertwine here in South Australia.
Never Never started with the crossing of paths of founders George, Sean and Tim. All three were forging careers in their different field, George and Tim in finance based in Sydney and London respectively. While Sean was working as a Brand Ambassador for the Diageo Reserve portfolio. All three had ties to Adelaide and it was here where the journey began.
When George ran into Tim for the first time in 5 years it was a watershed moment that went something like this:
GEORGE: How have you been? How was London?
TIM: Yeah all good, good to be back. What's next for you?
GEORGE: Thinking a distillery!
TIM: You're kidding?
GEORGE: No, why?
TIM: So am I.
Tim’s obsession with distilling and brewing is hereditary – a descendant of the Gilbey family of distillers in Scotland, he was tinkering with stills and fermenters in his back garden long before he had a full-scale distillery to play with.
Like Tim, George’s background is finance – but don’t hold that against him. Always a science whizz, he travelled the world researching the skill of flavour production (including courses in brewing and distilling).
He was drawn into the world of flavour and he knew that when he made his own spirits it would be in his hometown of Adelaide, inspired by the quality artisanship for which the region is known.
Sean came from a hospitality background being a career bartender and keen cook (a Masterchef contestant, in fact!). He is well acquainted with the output end of the flavour making process as well as having the marketing and brand management know-how which comes from working as a National Brand Ambassador for Diageo.
So, the scene is set, and as with a lot of good Aussie stories, the next act begins over a pint in a pub. Three mates with a love of flavour and craftmanship decide to pool their money for the final piece of the puzzle – a 300L pot and column hybrid still which they named Wendy. They set her up in the back of a brewery on the outskirts of Adelaide, and the adventure began.
Both the name and their love of adventure is inspired by the Never Never - the vast Australian expanse of the Australian outback that stretches beyond the horizon.
To step into the Never Never is to journey into the unknown - and for Never Never, that meant leaving established careers to start a distillery with the ambition to leave a global mark on the gin category - that is a commitment to adventure and a real step into the unknown. - Never Never Distilling Co
Triple Juniper Gin
500ML | 43% ABV
Our signature Triple Juniper Gin combines three different distillation processes, each uncovering the bright and earthy qualities of juniper.
A Bit About...
Our signature triple juniper gin uses a triple-concentrated production process to deliver a gin bursting with classic juniper flavour and crafted to make delicious gin & tonics.
The Triple Juniper Process
Juniper berries are first steeped in Australian wheat spirit for 24 hours. This steep, along with fresh juniper is then added to the still, before finally, more juniper is added to the vapour basket to capture the fresh and floral juniper character.
Our eight other botanicals include coriander seed, angelica root, orris root, lemon peel, lime peel, liquorice root, cinnamon, and Australian pepper berry.
Tasting Notes
Smell
Pine needle, brushed rosemary, lemon oil, earthy root vegetable extending into fragrant pepper.
Taste
Bright citrus character up front. Oily and intense, prominent juniper, supported by earthy undertones and wooded spice.
Finish
Luxurious and long with a rich creaminess which quickly dries out.
Awards
2021 Gold - San Francisco World Spirits Awards
2021 Gold - Australian Gin Awards
2021 Platinum - Sip Awards
2020 #1 Australian Spirit - Australian Bartender Magazine Hottest 100
2021 #2 Australian Spirit - Australian Bartender Magazine Hottest 100
2020 Gold | 95 Points - International Wine & Spirits Competition
2019 Champion Spirit & Gin - Royal Australian Spirits Awards
2019 Double Gold - San Francisco Worlds Spirits Awards
2019 Best Gin - Drink Easy Awards
2019 Gold - Singapore Worlds Spirits Competition
2019 Gold - Asia Gin Masters
2019 Gold - Australian Distilled Spirits Awards
Southern Strength Gin
500ML | 52% ABV
Southern Strength Gin is a botanical blast of classic juniper flavour with a long, luxurious mouthfeel. Perfect for lovers of classic cocktails.
A Bit About...
World's best classic gin in 2019, southern strength gin uses elevated amounts of citrus to create a fresher, brighter gin.
As a higher ABV gin, there's more botanical flavour in the bottle. It's a botanical blast of flavour with a luxurious mouthfeel.
Developed through meticulous bartender and consumer feedback, Southern Strength Gin uses our Triple Juniper process and elevates the lemon peel, coriander seed and angelica root.
It uses exactly the same number of botanicals as Triple Juniper Gin, just in different ratios.
Tasting Notes
Smell
Fragrant pine mingling with bright citrus and earthy angelica. Coriander seed elevates the citrus character.
Taste
Oily, viscous and immediately savoury. Juniper still dominates, however is complimented with earthy notes of angelica root and coriander seed.
Finish
Rich and robust, with pepper berry spice and cinnamon warmth developing late.
Awards
2019 World's Best Classic Gin - World Gin Awards
2021 Double Gold - San Francisco Worlds Spirits Competition
2021 Best In Class Overproof Gin - Australian Gin Awards
2020 Best Gin in Show - Australian Gin Awards
2020 Champion Gin - Australian Distilled Spirits Awards
2019 Double Gold - Singapore Worlds Spirits Competition
2019 Best in Show - Australian Gin Awards
2019 Gold - San Francisco Worlds Spirits Awards
2019 Gold - UK Gin Masters
2019 Gold - Asia Gin Masters
Juniper Freak Gin
500ML | 58% ABV
A rich, navy-strength expression of the previous year's juniper harvest.
A Bit About...
Being a vintage gin, each release shows subtle differences in character and profile from year to year.
The vintage is important as it highlights that freshness drives the juniper character that we want to capture in our juniper freak gin.
Bottled at the official navy strength of 58%, this gin is long, complex and viscous.
Ginache Gin
Premium Grenache Gin Bursting With Red Berry Flavour. Bright, Vibrant and Delicious, Ginache was named Australia's Best Flavoured Gin in 2022.
500ML | 38% ABV
A Bit About...
One sip and you're hooked. Grenache gin is a juicy, fruity blast of berries.
Premium grenache grapes grown in McLaren Vale are picked and crushed within hours, then added to our award-winning Triple Juniper Gin. It’s then left on the skin for up to a month to develop its rich flavour and colour before being pressed, filtered and bottled.
Its flavours bounce between bright raspberry and candied peel all the way through to dark plum and cinnamon.
Enjoy it neat over ice, with a splash of tonic or even lemon squash for a delicious pink gin spritz!
Tasting Notes
Look
Deep raspberry red with a ruby hue. Bright hibiscus pink when diluted with tonic or soda.
Smell
Fresh cherry and plum fruits. Soft pine and spice.
Taste
Freshly picked raspberries and tinned plum immediately up-front. Plush tannins and a silky, ripe body followed by a light boysenberry swirl.
Awards
2023 Australia's Best Flavoured Gin - World Gin Awards
2022 Australia's Best Flavoured Gin - World Gin Awards
2021 Gold - World Gin Masters
2020 Gold - London Gin Masters
'Dark Series'
'Dark Series' Beeswax & Olive Gin
500ML | 41% ABV
Are you looking for a unique gin experience? Look no further than our Dark Series Beeswax & Olive Gin. This Australian-made gin is distilled with beeswax and olive brine, giving it a smooth and creamy texture that's perfect for sipping neat or mixing into cocktails. Citrusy and bright, this gin is sure to become a new favourite.
A Bit About...
The dark series beeswax and olive gin was made in collaboration with sydney’s maybe sammy, named one of the world’s best bars top 50 best bar list.
The gin uses Ligurian beeswax and raw honey, sourced from hives located on Kangaroo Island. This colony is incredibly rare and is the purest strain of Ligurian bees in the world. There is Kalamata olive brine sourced from Llyod Brothers in McLaren Vale, Somerton almonds from Port Willunga and locally grown orange and bay leaf.
This gin was created specifically to make luxurious martinis, complex highballs and fragrant spritz serves.
Tasting Notes
Look
Brilliant and clear. Light clouding occurs when you add tonic due to natural oils present in the botanicals.
Smell
Honeysuckle, orange blossom and fragrant juniper.
Taste
The palate is rich and creamy with notes of salted honey on biscotti, dried olives and sweet basil punctuated by bay leaf and fresh orange.
'Dark Series' Oyster Shell Gin
500ML | 42% ABV
Introducing our Oyster Shell Gin. Developed in Collaboration with Society Restaurant in Melbourne, this is a unique flavour expression of the Australian coastline.
A Bit About...
Oyster shell gin is a unique flavour expression of the Australian coastline.
We've used Kangaroo Island oyster shell, waxflower, Tasmania wakame, coastal daisy bush, saltbush and round mint to create a unique expression of the Australian coastline and built for contemporary seafood pairings.
With lashings of waxflower and salinity, it scratches the itch of anyone who loves a savoury martini. For those who love a G&T, it pairs beautifully with Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic and a lime leaf garnish.
Tasting Notes
Smell
Fresh sea spray jumps from the glass, bursting with split lime-leaf and fragrant grapefruit zest.
Taste
The palate expresses saline and savoury minerality of Kangaroo Island Oyster shell and dried Australian wakame. Native greens integrate with morish salted citrus, pine and coriander spice on the mid-palate
Finish
Long and luxurious, lending itself to dry martinis and spirit-forward cocktail serves.
'Dark Series' Mediterranean Gin
500ML | 41% ABV
A delicious, contemporary gin inspired by the Mediterranean. Med Gin features Kalamata olive brine, almonds, thyme, basil, and native coastal daisy bush, all sourced from our home in the McLaren Vale region.
A Bit About...
Much like the local geology in our mclaren vale home, this gin has layers.
Creamy marzipan, citrus and olive oils create a silky & luscious palate. This is balanced with a wave of mouthwatering saline from the olive brine and the considered inclusion of locally grown thyme, bay leaf and basil.
We’ve sourced Somerton almonds from Taronga, Lloyd Brothers Kalamata olives and McMillian and Drew herbs which include lemon thyme, thyme, bay leaf and basil. Not to mention locally foraged Oleria Axillaris, known commonly as the coastal daisy bush.
Tasting Notes
Smell
A heavy combination of sea spray, fresh herbs, kalamata olive/olive flesh and lightly dried florals. Reminisce of coastal breezes on a warm summer evening. Pine tree and cooking spice linger in the background setting the stage for our most complex gin yet.
Taste
Much like the local geology of McLaren Vale, this gin has layers.
Finish
Long with resinous juniper oils coating the palate and pepper berry developing late.
Awards
2021 Gold - Australian Gin Awards
(Image: Never Never Distilling Co / www.neverneverdistilling.com.au)