By Jed Lanyon
Healesville gin distillery Four Pillars is one of four gin producers across the globe shortlisted for the 2020 International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) International Gin Producer of the Year award.
Four Pillars has the rare opportunity to defend their trophy, having claimed the honour last year.
“To win it this year would be pretty incredible, considering we made all these plans to take the 2019 trophy on a global tour and so far, it has made it no further than Sydney, we haven’t even got it to Queensland.” said Four Pillars Distiller and Co-Founder Cameron Mackenzie.
“To win this trophy once was obviously a life highlight, to win it a second time would frankly be beyond belief – I’m pretty sure I’d have to retire.”
Four Pillars Gin was the first Australian distillery to win the award for International Gin Producer of the Year, in recognition of its leading role in the world of gin, creating some of the most awarded gins on the planet, and leading the way for craft spirits producers around the world through its commitment to collaboration, creativity, design and world-class experiences, all anchored by its home in Healesville.
Since then, through the twists and turns of 2020, the distilling and production teams, the engine room of Four Pillars, have continued hitting their marks and blowing the world away with incredible gins they know and love, with persistent experimentation and boundary-pushing when it comes to new gins time and time again.
“This nomination is a tribute to our entire team, however we cannot understate the immense contribution of the guys in the shed actually making the stuff worth drinking, and worth talking about,” said Mr Mackenzie.
“2020 has been one for the books, a challenge we could never have anticipated. And through this unpredictable year, our distilling and production teams have continued to show up. They battle it out with our bottling machine through the coldest Yarra Valley winters wearing layer upon layer. They make sure the shelves stay stocked, and boxes get packed and the deliveries get to where they need to go.
“They truly are the engine room, and this nomination goes to them.”
The 51st annual IWSC winners will be announced at a virtual ceremony to be conducted from IWSC headquarters in London on November 18.
