Davidsonia is Animus Distillery's delicious riff on a traditional English Sloe Gin. Instead of sloes (Prunus spinosa), the distillers work with native Australian Davidsonia pruriens, a tropical sour plum sourced from the temperate regions of Queensland. Snap-frozen (so the ice can help the distilled spirit to pierce the cell walls faster and provide an immediate release of explosive, fresh juicy flavour), the plums were steeped in an over-proofed version of the Animus Macedon Dry recipe for many months. It was then gently pressed down the road at the Musk Lane winery, extracting that distinctly Australian measure of intensity and character.
As a seasonal, produce-driven Gin, each vintage of Davidsonia has its own personality, and the 2021 is both the most stylish and delicate so far. This year's release is rife with bright and aromatic top notes of ripe plum, lemon and rosehip, while the palate is full of lip-smacking zing, morello cherry and hints of guava. You'll still find those gentle, puckering tannins and lime-like acidy to balance the plummy sweetness. Because of its more delicate nature this year, we’d encourage you to drink over days and weeks rather than months (or keep in the fridge), so you can appreciate the seasonal differences while they are fresh.
Davidsonia is exquisite served chilled and neat, or with a dash of soda and a large wedge of blood orange, but it’s born to be used in cocktails, and provides a uniquely Australian canvas to anybody who wants to explore their creativity.