Just like the gin version, this tour and tasting focus on production at Manly Spirits, but with a keen eye on whisky. Guests will get to witness firsthand how the Australian single malt whisky is made, from mashing the barley to fermentation, distillation and barrel maturation. It’s hard to forget the incredible Manly Gin that we sent our members as their August 2019 Gin of the Month, and Vanessa Wilton is one of the people responsible for that remarkable impact it had on everyone here at Craft Gin Club HQ and all of our members! Kind of like a Martini – well, almost exactly like a Martini aside from one ingredient, the Gibson is considered by some people to be a manly version of a Martini, we won’t go that far, but we will say that if you still have reservations about Martinis, this onion-garnished substitute might go down well.

While gin has a long history in places like The Netherlands and the United Kingdom, it’s made in all corners of the globe. While not often thought of historically as a gin destination, Australia has become a great country to be a gin drinker in the last decade or so with many craft and artisanal distilleries cranking out amazing, noteworthy gins. Add to that, Australia is starting to become known as a gin destination all over the world after capturing some of the biggest awards at the 2022 World Gin Awards. Rise of Gin in Australia Tours of the distillery are an extraordinary way to learn about craft distillation and artisan spirits. The whole experience will give you the chance to see where our Gins/Botanical Vodka and Liqueur are made and understand exactly what goes into crafting what’s in your glass.

More Manly Drinks

Dash of Angostura bitters, 2 ounces Rye or Canadian Whisky, Maraschino Cherry (as a garnish), 3/4 ounces sweet Vermouth. Place a slice of Manly Australian Dry Gin and herb butter on the cut side of each lobster. When the butter has melted into the lobster flesh they are ready. Serve each lobster with half a grilled lemon and enjoy. As you're reading this on Difford's Guide, we'll assume you're into your spirits and drinks, and there's no better way to experience these things that from the source. We love walking around a distillery, getting to ask questions and seeing the magic up close. No doubt you will too. The gin is said to boast a Piña Colada profile by combining and infusing the ‘iconic’ summer ingredients of mango, coconut and pine-n-lime ice cream. When you come to the distillery, you are called to dive deeper into how our spirits are created. We invite you to take a behind-the-scenes look at how we craft distinctive spirits that rival the best in the world, to explore how we use foraged marine and native botanicals to make our range of locally produced Australian spirits and to study our craft. We’ll share what we know so that you can become an expert on artisanal whisky, vodka and gin.

If you've ever wondered how hard it is to make gin, here's your chance to road-test your skills as a distiller. Guests to the gin school will take a tour of gin's long and fraught history, learn both how Manly Spirits makes its gin and what it takes to produce a well-balanced and harmonious palate before using this newly-acquired knowledge to make their own bottle of gin.Start by making your butter. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well together. Put the butter onto a piece of greaseproof paper, cling film or foil and roll into a log shape about 4cm in diameter. Chill until firm, then slice the butter into 1cm slices. Heat your barbecue or grill. When nice and hot place the lobsters, cut side down, on the grill for no more than two minutes. After two minutes turn the lobsters over so they are shell side down, and place the lemon halves cut side down on the grill.

To craft the finished spirit they use two key methods, a five-day singular infusion process for the tropical fruits and a more traditional distillation process for the other botanical ingredients. Vanessa founded Manly Spirits with her business and life partner David Whittaker. He manages the distilling side of the operation and Vanessa manages the brand.Finally, shredded coconut, dried mango and banana are infused into Manly Spirits’ Australian dry base gin for twenty-four hours. In a tall glass, mix together six double-jiggers of your favorite bourbon, six dashes of bitters, and one-inch shaving from an orange peel. Go behind the scenes to have an overview of our production processes and area, with the opportunity to view our stills, botanicals used, and bottling setup. Your friendly and knowledgeable spirit guide will give you a history of Gin, the opportunity to touch, taste, smell our raw ingredients including our pantry of Australian botanicals. The final recipe is a mix of tropical fruits, local coastal ingredients and classic Australian dry botanicals: Funds raised will directly contribute to reducing ocean plastics and protecting some of Australia’s threatened and endangered marine species.

Something like the manly version of the bloody mary. A tasty mixture of vodka, beef bouillon, lemon, tabasco sauce and worcestershire sauce. Again, the name makes up for at least 50% of what makes the manliest drinks manly. WARNING: Make sure you drink it in a regular style drinking glass. Don’t let them serve you in a frilly glass or we’ll revoke your man card! Not the top choice of drinks for taste, but any man that can down this probably has the hairy chest of a bull from the burning bite of the bloody bull. Sidecar These include: dry: small splash of dry vermouth, rinse: rinse glass with vermouth then empty it, extra dry: three drops vermouth, dirty: splash of olive juice, perfected: rinse of sweet and dry vermouth, smoky: vermouth replaced with scotch, and naked: no ice used but glass and ingredients are chilled. Gin is then infused with juniper berries (the main flavor mostly associated with the spirit) as well as other ingredients like orris root, Angelica root, licorice, coriander, lavender, orange peel, and countless other potential fruits, herbs, and botanicals. Where is Gin Made?This tour and tasting will show you how Manly Spirits make their gins, botanical vodka and liqueurs, from the raw ingredients to the stills and bottling. Taste, touch and get a whiff of all the botanicals used and then settle in for an in-depth tasting experience, to sip and compare. Then join us for an in-depth tasting experience, as selected by our Head Distiller, of five of our core expressions to sit, sip and compare.