Why you goIn an art-filled laneway in Darwin’s CBD, there’s a roller door. Behind the roller door, there’s a lift. Take the lift to the first floor and prepare to be impressed by the bar, restaurant and distillery before you. Yes, Charlie’s of Darwin is all three, and it’s a winning combo. In fact, The Telegraph in the UK put it at number 18 on its 2021 list of the top 20 bars to visit in the world, alongside venues in London, Hong Kong and Berlin. Owner Rebecca Bullen, founder of Melbourne’s Cohen Cellars and Darwin’s Stone House wine bar, has turned her attention to gin, using locally grown and foraged botanicals to create unique blends through the Darwin Distillery Co. Her Darwin Signature Gin, appropriately labelled with a crocodile, includes Kakadu plum, water lilies and native lemongrass, all sustainably harvested within a three-hour drive of Darwin. Her Salty Plum Gin is bright orange and includes an actual salty plum – a quintessentially Territorian childhood treat. And if you happen to find yourself in the Qantas International London Lounge, you may well be served this gin – or save your money and fly to Darwin instead.
