Four Pillars has announced its Australian Christmas Gin for 2021, a spice-laden annual release that smells like gin and tastes like Christmas.

This year, its uber-colourful label is called ‘Prawns & Pavlova’ and has been created by artist Andrea Huelin – it’s an ode to a long, hot, summery Christmas lunch.

The gin is distiller Cam’s tribute to four things he loves: Australia, Christmas, gin and his late mum, Wilma. 

Each year Wilma would use the 1968 Australian Women’s Weekly recipe to make her puddings on Victoria Derby Day, the Saturday before Melbourne Cup, while the rest of the family listened to the races.

On Derby Day 2015, and again on every Derby Day from then on, Cam and his family, joined by the families of co-founders Stu Gregor and Matt Jones, would make puddings to Wilma’s recipe and put them in the botanical basket of Wilma (its still, named after Cam’s mum) and distill a gin.

While physically being together for the now annual tradition has proven tricky for the past two years, the spirit of Wilma’s pudding-making lives on as the Mackenzies, Gregors and Joneses continue to make puddings to this recipe together in spirit with a little help from a friend called Zoom.

Cam then distills the pudding and ages the resulting gin in Rutherglen Muscat barrels for a year. To finish, he adds a slight tweak of Rutherglen Classic Muscat to round out the palate with a touch of richness.

The resulting gin smells like gin and tastes like Christmas – aromatics of classic juniper and a hint of cinnamon, backed up with a rich, luscious palate with a hint of sweetness from the Muscat and richness from the extended barrel ageing.

Four Pillars Christmas goodies

Four Pillars has also created a range of additional gin-laden gifts, including Christmas Gin Puddings, turkey relish, ham glaze and even tea towels.

The much-loved Christmas Gin Puddings made with gin-steamed oranges and a dash of Christmas Gin, handmade to Healesville-based Silver Penny Pudding’s traditional fruit pudding recipe. The decadent puddings don’t have any alcohol in them, but are bursting with rich botanical flavour.

There’s also a glaze made using its spent Rare Dry Gin botanicals and gin-steamed oranges. Pour it over ham before baking or use it to glaze roast turkey or duck, or to baste a rack of pork or beef ribs before barbequing them.

A special Christmas Cranberry & Gin Orange Relish has been made with the team at A Bit of Jam & Pickle. Plus, the distillery has introduced linen tea towel complete with Andrea Huelin’s stunning Prawns & Pavlova artwork front and centre.

Four Pillars Australian Christmas Gin: 43.8% ABV. RRP: $100. Limited release available from October 26, 2021 online at fourpillarsgin.com, at its Gin Shops in Surry Hills and Healesville, and at a range of good bottle shops across Australia.

Four Pillars Australian Christmas Gin Pudding, 400g, handmade by Silver Penny Puddings, Kilmore, Yarra Valley. Artwork designed by Andrea Huelin, RRP $30; Four Pillars Cranberry & Gin Orange Relish, 170g, RRP $10; Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin Glaze, 170g, RRP $10; Four Pillars ‘Prawns & Pavlova’ Tea Towel, RRP $10.