Giant win for dry gin

Catherine Crothers and Gary Jago (Joe Mastroianni)

By Jessica Micallef

A Newham distillery is the best in the business for a bottle of gin.

Big Tree Distillery won the Best Classic Australian Gin with its Elegant Dry Gin during the first round of judging at the World Gin Awards in London last month.

The distillery is owned by husband and wife team Gary Jago and Catherine Crothers. The pair have been in business for just 18 months after spending four years preparing various gins.

Ms Crothers said it was a great feeling knowing their hard work had paid off.

“We’ve tried to source the best produce and the best equipment to help us achieve just the right balance
of flavours and finish to our traditional botanical gin.”

The pair’s navy strength gin, Claude, also achieved a bronze medal in the Australian Navy Gin category.

Mr Jago said the ingredients were all locally sourced. “At our farm in Newham we grow juniper berries along with kumquats and elderflowers,” he said.

“We even use the farm’s own rainwater as part of the distillation process in an Australia-designed copper still from Tasmania.”

Big Tree Distillery is open for taste testing and lunch every Saturday, Sunday and Monday at 307 Hennerbergs Road, Newham.