Daniel Motlop is already renown for his illustrious footy career with Port Adelaide, and now he is making a name for himself in the gin industry with the launch of Seven Seasons’ Spirits.
The Adelaide-based distillery launched its second product, Bush Apple Gin, Tuesday night at a digitally immersive party at the Lab.
Event goers got to taste the delicious new gin, garnished with native salt bush, as well as its predecessor, the much-loved Green Ant Gin, all while learning about the products’ connection to the Larrakia people.
The original owners of Darwin land, the Larrakia people’s year is divided into seven seasons, each with diverse crops and weather patterns. All of the alcohol’s ingredients come from the Northern Territory, where they will be harvested by Aboriginal people, and the flavours are all based around the seven seasons of the Larrakia people.
“There’s traditional stories behind certain ingredients that have been around a long time for Aboriginal people, and I know a lot about the native ingredients through my area in Darwin,” Motlop, a proud Larrakia man, says.
Motlop’s telling of the ingredients’ history was aided at the event by immersive LED screens thanks to Adelaide’s new art and performance hub The Lab. Compelling images depicted the seven seasons and the harvesting of the Mighty Craft gin’s ingredients.
Daniel, his children, and other members of his family, including cousin and AFL player Stephen Motlop, performed traditional Larrakia dances, and cousin Marlon Motlop (who has performed at WOMADelaide) sang an original song dedicated to the brand.
There were also delicious native meals on offer, such as kangaroo burgers and chicken skewers, cooked up by Motlop’s Native food company, Something Wild.
“It was a dream of mine to create a company that celebrated the learning, culture and ingredients from the Top End,” says Motlop.
“After the success of Green Ant Gin, a product I’d always wanted to make, it’s a natural progression to develop these new flavours and showcase what else my people have to offer.”
See all the photos of the gorgeous, educational event below.
Buy Seven Seasons’ Spirits here, and visit the Lab here.
Find the Lab at 63 Light Square.