Four Pillars' Latest Gin Is a Boozy Ode to St Kilda Live Music Institution The Espy

Four Pillars continues to help push Melbourne's gin scene into exciting new places, flexing its creative muscles even harder with every new release drop. Now, just weeks after the Healesville distillery launched the latest annual edition of its Christmas Gin, it's unveiled another boozy wonder — this time paying homage to legendary local haunt, The Espy.

Fittingly dubbed Sticky Carpet Gin, the new creation's been crafted in celebration of the historic pub's much-hyped reopening, infusing all of the venue's big personality and colourful past into one vibrant sip.

With this drop, Four Pillars co-founder and distiller Cam Mackenzie set out to capture the spirit of a venue that's meant many different things to different people. To lend an unmistakable pub feel and give a malty edge, the gin uses local Watts River roasted dark stout in its base. On top of that, some roasted barley and Cascade hops push the beer flavour a little further, mingling with other botanicals like juniper, coriander, green pepper, honey and cassia, and a fresh hit of lemon peel and ginger. The result is a little bit deeper and darker than your usual gin of choice, aptly described by Cam as "a gin for beer lovers".

Even the Sticky Carpet Gin's packaging gives a firm nod to The Espy, with old band posters recovered from the venue used on the underside of the labels.

Unfortunately, the bottle isn't available for purchase, so you can only sample the new collaboration gin exclusively at The Espy, where it's being worked cleverly into a range of signature sips. Find it mingling happily with ginger syrup, lemon juice and a frothy pale ale top for the Hawksmoor Shaky Pete Ginger Brew, or perhaps in the more delicate 500 Days of Summer: a blend of Sticky Carpet Gin, elderflower, strawberries, mint leaves and ginger beer.

Images: Lauren Bamford.