This month marks an exciting milestone for The Law Artisan Distillery.
For the first time, I have entered one of our spirits into a major competition. Our Lemon Myrtle Gin has been submitted to the Melbourne Royal Australian International Spirits Awards.
To be honest, I’ve never been particularly motivated by medals. After years of competing against other lawyers, I didn’t want distilling to become another pursuit defined by rankings and results. My focus has always been on making the best spirits I can and sharing them with people who genuinely enjoy them. Success, for me, has largely been measured in quieter ways. Some of the most rewarding moments since opening the distillery have been watching visitors discover a spirit they love, especially when they arrive convinced they don’t like gin.
I have entered nevertheless, partly out of curiosity, partly because I think it will be a valuable learning experience, and partly because I want to see whether expert judges confirm what my customers have been telling me. If they do, that is encouraging. If they don’t, then I will learn from it and improve.
There is always more to learn, and that is one of the things I enjoy most about distilling. Whether the result is good, bad or somewhere in between, there is value in understanding how knowledgeable judges perceive my work.
The spirit I chose to enter was our Lemon Myrtle Gin.
Made using lemon myrtle grown in Buderim, it has been our most popular spirit since the first experimental batch was tasted by patrons and wholesale customers. The flavour is unmistakably Australian, and lemon myrtle itself is a Sunshine Coast local. I see it everywhere as I drive around, yet it is now appreciated by people all over the world.
In our gin, the lemon myrtle takes centre stage while softer floral notes sit quietly in the background. What has surprised me most is its broad appeal. Dedicated gin enthusiasts enjoy it, but so do many people who arrive convinced they don’t like gin at all.
That alone makes it a special spirit for me.
Entering a competition also feels like an opportunity to represent the Sunshine Coast and the growing community of local craft distillers, some of whom are already award-winning producers. Many of the distilleries entering Melbourne Royal are well established and highly regarded. The Law is one of the smallest distilleries in the field. It would be remarkable if a tiny distillery operating from a shed in Maroochydore could stand alongside some of Australia’s larger and more experienced producers.
Small distilleries often operate quietly, experimenting, learning and refining recipes one batch at a time. Events like Melbourne Royal bring those efforts together and celebrate the diversity and quality of Australian spirits.
Whatever the outcome, I am looking forward to being part of the process and learning from it.
The judges will have their say. In the meantime, it is business as usual. I’ll keep making spirits and experimenting with new ideas.
Now the waiting begins.
