Getting into the spirit with Imbue Distillery

Imbue Distillery is capturing the essence of Melbourne one bottle at a time. Director Mel Sheard founded the distillery with husband and business partner Mick, and their range of spirits and gin take direct inspiration from the environment and locality around them. Indeed, terroir is at the heart of what they do and how the sense of taste can impact and influence memories. 

“In a nutshell we make spirits rich with flavour, imbued with a story,” she says.

Currently offering six different spirits and liqueurs, Imbue Distillery’s range includes a barrel-aged gin named ‘Suburban’ which is described on their website as having a “sweet nutty granola flavour” and a “dry piney finish”. 

Sheard says, “The ‘Suburban’ gin is very special. It was our first product and has a really unique list of botanicals, many that we forage from around Melbourne. It’s inspired by things Mick picked as a kid growing up in Melbourne’s fringe suburbs.”

Also popular is ‘The Journey’, a contemporary-style gin that is made with locally-sourced apples and muntries (indigenous cranberries). Clearly Imbue Distillery is not afraid to explore unusual flavour pairings as well as play with recipe traditions and drinking styles. 

Imbue Distillery’s range offers something for everyone, whether a bartender or amateur mixologist.

“I think the beauty of our products, particularly the gin liqueurs is that you can add a simple mixer and feel like you are drinking something much fancier or more complicated,” says Sheard. “Personally I love when our products are paired with ingredients that they are distilled with whether that be to enhance or contrast. So I just encourage people (professional or not) to keep in mind the hero botanicals when pairing and mixing.”

Cheers to that!

Click here to learn more about Imbue Distillery and where to find their products.