INK GIN CELEBRATES TEN YEARS

Near the small town of Tumbulgum in the Tweed Valley, Husk Farm

Distillery has challenged the conventional every step of the way.

Established in 2012 in the early days of craft distilling, the dream

was to make paddock to bottle rum from home grown sugar cane

juice, a style known as Agricole in France. This meant planting,

growing, crushing, fermenting, distilling, barrelling and a whole lot

of patience before founders Paul and Mandy would see their first

bottle on the shelf and turn their first dollar.

The solution – make a gin, glorious gin, using a never-before heard

of flower and no aging required. In those early days of craft distilling

most gin was imported, and to compete with international brands

they figured they’d have to come up with something very different.

Enter stage: Clitoria ternatea. A suggestively named flower with a

curious property - changing colour when mixed with anything acidic.

Originating in Southeast Asia the butterfly pea flower has been

used in herbal teas for hundreds or thousands of years. Paul, with

his science background was fascinated by the pH sensitive flower

and tried it with tonic water. Eureka! The deep blue butterfly pea

liquid swirled, changing to a sparkling blush pink.

The perfect gin of colour would need the perfectly balanced flavour

profile, blending bold and complex with a delicate finish, crafted

from the highest quality organic botanicals, distilled with the care

and precision of a world-class spirit. The result was a combination

of unusual Australian botanicals, some native to the subtropical

Northern NSW, and more traditional ingredients. And it looked

beautiful!

In 2015, Ink Gin was launched on an unsuspecting world. As the

family visited the first venues around Byron Bay, they certainly

raised a few eyebrows. “Gin is supposed to be clear!” they

said. But the more adventurous took a punt, to the resounding

“Yes please!” of their customers fascinated by the stunning colour

play. With a blend of chemistry, botany and artistry, this blue gin

turned into a blush pink when mixed with tonic, and the rest, as they

say, is history!

A simple G&T with a sprig of rosemary became the world’s easiest cocktail.

“The early days were passion and perseverance,” Paul says, “with our small

family team bottling up a storm in the little green shed while working into

the evenings at home folding boxes or tying neck tags. We ran out of stock

three weeks before Christmas three years running, and when Margot Robbie surprised us with the most liked gin Instagram post in world history, Ink Gin

was catapulted onto the world stage. I was fielding international phone calls

fromNew York to London on an almost daily basis. Everyone wanted to

know, what was that drink and where do I get it!”

With that post, Ink Gin changed the game, sparking a colour

revolution that rippled around the world. But what about the rum dream

you ask? Well last month Husk Rare Blend won the Trophy for Best Rum in Australia at the Melbourne Royal AISA, Australia’s most prestigious spirits

awards. Go figure!

huskdistillers.com