Slick, sustainable and with a welcoming team, Healesville’s new Four Pillars distillery is a true gin experience in the most educational-but-fun kind of way.
In a region of more than 40 winery cellar doors, Four Pillars makes a refreshing break from all that sniffing and swirling. In fact, you’ll be specifically instructed not to swirl here (more on that later).
Sitting alongside the OG Four Pillars distillery, this venue also gives you a good look behind the scenes. Through the distillery, you can often see team members chopping lemons to go into the stills on show, and large feature windows let you watch the bottling line in action below. Everything really is done on-site.
Plenty of inviting spaces make you want to stay a while, including an indoor-outdoor ‘gin garden’ and a choice of seating around the striking copper bar. The eco elements are impressive, too. Banquettes made from pineapple husk have created a lovely faux leather, pipes pumping gin to the bar will save up to 10 tonnes of glass each year, and feature walls have given new life to salvaged bricks.
Sure, you could order one of the Four Pillars gins with tonic, but it’s the cocktails that demand attention here – each one priced at an even $20.
Their most popular is the frothy-pink Bloody Sour. Not too tart, it combines Bloody Shiraz Gin with sherbet, lime, egg whites and bitters, and it’s one of those pretty drinks that, once spotted by other guests, can bring on a domino-effect of orders.
Anyone who loves an espresso as much as a Negroni should try the coffee-spiked 443, bringing together Rare Dry Gin, Regal Rogue Bold Red, Campari, coffee bean, wattle and chocolate bitters in a winning twist on the classic. And if something more refreshing appeals, the spritzy Hibiki heroes the Fresh Yuzu Gin, together with housemade lemon balm, mountain marigold and toffee apple verjus.
The concise food menu deliberately keeps things simple, local and gin related. All nine dishes also happen to be bang-on for sharing after a gin or two.
‘Caro’s croquettes’ – named after resident chef, Caro Gray – are crispy bites of zucchini, potato and dill (you’ll need two serves – trust us), and the creamy taramasalata will also have you going back for more, topped with Bloody Shiraz Gin-soaked caviar. For another standout, don't miss the open mini bagels that layer salmon cured in Olive Leaf Gin, crème fresh and gin pickles.
Even if you think you know your G&Ts, don’t skip the G&T Paddle. For $15, you get a 15mL pour of four different gins – the Rare Dry, Navy Strength, Bloody Shiraz and Fresh Yuzu. Each serve comes in a glass with ice, and a team member joins you at your table to chat through the selection.
Here, you might learn that Navy Strength Gin, at 58.8% ABV, is far from burn-your-throat scary, or that Four Pillars uses more shiraz grapes than any Yarra Valley winery. You may also learn that swirling gin in your glass releases too many vapours, which will overwhelm the delicate aromas and flavours. You’ll also get a few tips for tasting straight gin, too.
With the paddle, try each gin neat, add a little tonic – a special collab between Four Pillars and Victorian producer StrangeLove – taste the combination, and then pour more tonic to make your ideal ratio. Better still, buy a bottle of gin on your way out and they’ll take $10 off your bill.
Everyone is welcome here and bookings are encouraged. Banquettes allow for intimate catch-ups; bar seating, round and tall tables are ideal for trying a cocktail from the list; and the gin garden is just made for a bunch of gin-loving mates.
Four Pillars might also be the perfect place for your next group celebration or team event – consider one of their ticketed masterclasses. These include learning how to distill (participants later receive a bottle of their own creation), mixing up cocktails, comprehensive G&T tastings and more.
