Summer on the Coast screams sun, sand and surf, but nothing suggests ‘unwind’ more than a gin spritz or a fresh mango daiquiri.
Ask any cocktail afficionado and they’ll tell you the secret to a great cocktail is all in the nip – and only top-shelf spirits will do.
In my opinion, the best place on the Coast to stock up on quality spirits this festive season is Sunshine & Sons, just a stone’s throw from the iconic Big Pineapple at Woombye.
In the interest of qualitative market research, I paid the multi-award winning distillery a visit to taste what’s new this summer.
Sunshine & Sons’ 4pm Australian dry gin is my new go-to for ‘gin-o’clock’ – try it with a splash of soda water to really allow the flavours to talk: Australian native quandong infused with orange and lemon peel. Quandong is often called a native peach because it has a delicious peachy bitterness to it.
The beauty of this boutique distillery is its capacity to create limited-edition gins. Worth forking out for a bottle (or two!) this holiday season is Wild Peach. It has Sunshine & Sons signature 4pm Australian Dry Gin as its base with the addition of orchard-ripened sweet peaches. This fruit-driven gin, with its beautiful peachy colour and natural sweetness, makes a really elegant gin and tonic.
Elderflower Power is another limited-edition fresh gin. Elderflower is a common ingredient in gin cocktails, however, the always innovative Sunshine & Sons has taken this botanical next level and infused it in a gin. It’s the ideal aperitif to kick off your Christmas Day celebration.
Visiting the distillery door also gave me an opportunity to do some Christmas shopping. The distillery offers three ready-to-go gift packs, each displaying three cute 200ml bottles of spirits. Nothing is more quintessentially summer than Sunshine & Son’s Pineapple Parfait Gin – and this 200ml beauty is in both the ‘Original’ and the ‘Tropical’ triple-packs.
As its name suggests, the Original triple-pack also contains the brand’s Original Dry Gin plus its Original Vodka, which was declared the World’s Best Botanical Vodka at the World Vodka Awards, UK, in February this year.
The Tropical triple-pack is a distillation of what we love most about the Sunshine Coast in three bottles. In addition to the Pineapple Parfait Gin, there’s Original Cane (a wild-fermented and double-distilled sugar cane spirit); and their hero, Mr Barista Coffee Liqueur (an organic molasses spirit infused with macadamia and coffee), delicious in a loaded affogato or espresso martini.
Sister brand, Nil Desperandum, also has an Australian rum triple gift pack containing three limited-edition releases: One Second, The Third, Go Fourth.
As with all distillery products, you can order online for home delivery, or if you pop in, the friendly and knowledgeable staff can create a bespoke gift pack for you containing your favourite three 200ml spirits.
Another great gift idea is to divvy up the pack, a single 200ml bottle makes a great smaller present or Christmas stocking-filler. And why not complement this gift with a couple of gin glasses etched with the Sunshine & Sons logo? Gin simply tastes better out of a classy glass.
Have that hard-to-buy for person? An online gift voucher is a great option – it can be redeemed for spirits, merchandise or even one of the distillery’s wonderful, immersive experiences.
There’s plenty on offer this summer, from the signature distillery experience – just $15 per person to taste the Sunshine & Sons and Nil Desperandum rum ranges – to the Founder’s Tour for those who are serious about their spirits and their production. This is a deep dive into the business and brand-building.
We can also recommend, from firsthand experience, the cocktail masterclass. Learn from an expert mixologist how to mix, shake, strain and pour three delicious cocktails using premium Sunshine & Sons spirits and Nil Desperandum rum. The best part is you get to taste your own creations. Available Friday to Tuesday from 3-5pm. Bookings essential, minimum two people, maximum 10. Great for Christmas parties, birthdays, hen parties or any life celebration. Cost is $99 a person.
Or just simply rock up, throw a rug on the grassy lawn, BYO picnic and buy your drinks from the distillery door. Open every day from 10am until sunset. Locals, visitors, corporate functions and private functions most welcome.