Coffin Bay Spirits is the newest gin brand to join South Australia’s craft distillery scene, and it’s coming with fresh ideas and local flavours.
The small-batch distillery is launching their first gin, marketed as a rare coastal spirit, on Easter Saturday, April 4, at Oyster HQ.
The event will have free gin tastings, an array of Coffin Bay Spirits gin cocktails for purchase, live music, and bottles of the new spirit for purchase. Oyster HQ’s menu––complete with pizzas, small and share plates, and of course, fresh seafood and oysters––will be available for guests, and it’s the perfect pairing for the gin.
“Our gin is best paired with fresh oysters because it has a distinct savoury flavour,” says Coffin Bay Spirits co-founder Ben Deslandes.
“We’re excited to experiment and discover even more unique pairings and future combinations with local seafood.”
The first launch gin is a “single-origin beverage,” meaning that all of the botanicals come from one stretch of Coffin Bay coastline. Ben and wife Caro Deslandes have collected upwards of 20 botanicals from their 500 acres of bushland to use in various spirits.
The first batch of gin, the rare coastal gin, will feature six plants from the property, such as coastal boobiala flower, flowered succulent karkalla, white-flowered fruit beard heath, and ocean botanicals such as foraged seaweeds.
This is the Deslandes’ first spirits venture, but the co-owners, who have a background in land management, are Coffin Bay area natives, so they’re excited to share the diverse flavours of the region.
“It’ll be nice to have a product from Coffin Bay, and it’s nice that it pairs so well with local oysters,” Ben says.
Guests of the Coffin Bay Spirits launch at Oyster HQ, which takes place from 5 – 9pm, will have the option to purchase a bottle of the new spirit to take home.
Although the distillery is just starting, they have many plans for the future. Customers can expect a new spirit from Coffin Bay Spirits to drop in a few months, and they hope to get council approval for “hike and flight” experiences that incorporate property bush walks with clifftop tastings.
Stay tuned for announcements on the Coffin Bay Spirits Facebook page, and book your seat for the tasting via Oyster HQ.
Find Oyster HQ at 100 Esplanade, Coffin Bay.
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