Headlands Distilling Company is about to release three new locally made products.
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The business founded in 2016 by Dean Martelozzo, Jared Smith, Lachlan Hingley and Thomas Simnadis has enjoyed a positive response to its first product Seacliff vodka.
Now it is about to release two new gins (Daalgaal and Boobialla) and a specialty spirit called the "Spirit of the Illawarra Plum".
"It is made using the Illawarra plum, a fruit native to "you guessed it" the Illawarra," Mr Martelozzo said.
"We are the first distillery in the world to develop a spirit exclusively from the fruit as it is not farmed or readily available. We actually hand forage the majority of plums ourselves from across the Illawarra".
Mr Martelozzo said Headlands Distilling Company's new gin range is also unique
"It is the only gin in the world made exclusively from the native Australian juniper. It has been hand foraged and gives an incredibly unique taste that is authentically Australian," he said.
Ms Smith said Daalgaal was infused with Illawarra Plums for six months and then sweetened with honey from native stingless bees.
Those attending the inaugural South Coast Wine Festival were given a sneak taste.
"They absolutely loved it and how it was incredibly unique. You can't get that flavour from any other gin and the garnishes including emu apple and pigface," Mr Martelozzo said.
Pigface was often found growing in sand dunes and backyards around the Illawarra.
"All the plant is edible. It has pink flowers with a yellow centre that has a sweet nectre," Mr Smith said.
He described pigface as the icing on the cake to the new Daalgaal gin and looks forward to using more native plants in the future.
"There are around 6500 native Australian edibles and we want to introduce our ingredients to the world," he said.
"We want people to be able to come here and have a really unique cultural culinary experience.
"Even our Boobialla gin is completely made of Australian juniper which is all hand foraged. And it just seemed like an authentic garnish to use a local edible flower in a really nice gin and tonic".
Mr Smith said to take the new product to the world will require more Illawarra Plums to be grown. "We are really looking for someone who would be interested in establishing an orchard".
Anyone wanting one of the initial release of 500 numbered gin bottles should contact Headlands Distilling Company before the early November release.
To date most of the new business's sales have come from attending farmers markets.
"We go there and tell our story and talk about the whole process," Martelozzo said.
"People are also supporting us because we are local. They tell us Seacliff is the best vodka they have ever had.
"Our big focus initially was to make sure the quality was there.
"We are now in the process of seeking approval from council for a bar license. So it won't be long until we have the bar open in Ralph Black Drive
"At the moment we can sell the bottle but we can't sell drinks. We can only do small tastings".
Headlands is getting a great response to its free distillery tours.
"We actually make everything ourselves," he said.
"Most of the vodka and gin distilleries in Australia just buy industrial ethanol. They don't actually make it themselves. We are quite unique in that when people come in we can show them the entire process".
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