From the heart of the Adelaide Hills, Applewood Distillery was born out of necessity to provide a pathway-to-market for quantities of native produce, in the belief that we could incentivise growers, foragers and those in communities to cement a deep-seated love for the land and its unique ecosystems. We weren't chasing trophies, but a dream to capture the spirit of Australia in a bottle. Our journey began with a simple pot still and a thirst for adventure. We weren't afraid to break the mold, infusing our gins with unexpected botanicals like Desert Limes, Davidson Plum and Wattleseed. Today, Applewood Distillery attempts to capture culture in a bottle, crafting exceptional gin that celebrates the untamed beauty of Australia.
Celebrating 12 Years
2012 - 2024
2012 - The Beginning
We ventured into the great unknown, importing our first still, finding a dirt-floor home at the Old Woollen Mills in Lobethal, SA - at 21 years old, we used our 'life-savings' to ramshackle together a rough production space and start experimenting.
2013 & 14 - Experimental Years
Our first experimental batches were conducted on a small lab-still that we pieced together from old laboratory auctions. We spent two years figuring out how it all works, establishing the very first relationships with local farmers and foragers.
2015 - The First Gin
After many spiritous adventures, chance meetings and life-changing discussions with the likes of Jock Zonfrillo and Shannon Fleming (ex-Orana) - Applewood Gin was born.
2016 - Desert Limes
A chance encounter taught us about Citrus glauca, the native lime of the Australian desert. This flipped our world upside down. One of the most ancient fruits known to man, growing wild in our own backyard - the perfect partner to Juniper - to create a truly unique Australian Gin.
2017 - A New Mission
We weren't going to be any distillery. We wanted to be Australia's distillery in every way, shape & form. We when down the rabbit-hole of native botanicals, endemic species & regenerative agriculture - releasing multiple spirits, but few made as much noise as the first release of Økar, our Australian Bitter Amaro.
2019 - Certified B Corp
It was always our vision that we remain accountable to all aspects of sustainability; environmentally, socially & financially. This multi-year process culminated with being the first Certified B Corp distillery in Australia.
2020 - Outback Calling
While the pandemic kept everyone locked up inside, we got out into rural Australia, from the desert, to the gulf, to the beaches and jungles. We met with our growers, supported rural venues and opened our minds to the monolithic nature of the land we belong to.
2021 - The Wild Year
We threw ourselves into the world of native botanicals, launching ground-breaking (and sometimes brain-breaking) spirits - a whisky crafted from 100% Australian ingredients, matured exclusively in native timber. We produced over 20 gins that championed different native botanicals, we conducted multiple trips around the country into remote places most had never ventured.
2022 - Leap Of Faith
Recognising that while we were helping people connect to the land, we had failed to properly connect with those who belong to it. We struck up a friendship with the Kokatha people and began a series of trips to assist them with maintaining sacred sites and keeping their culture alive.
2023 To Present - New Beginnings
We've been around for a decade now - and witnessed wildly changing attitudes to agriculture and sustainability - so it's time for us to adapt, evolve and set ever-increasing expectations of ourselves while championing the land we belong to.