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This month marks the official opening of our distillery venue, The GoodBar, and our Cellar Door at our home base in the Brookvale Arts District in Sydney.

Thank you to our team, partners, friends, and family of Goodradigbee Distillers, who have played their part in bringing the business to life.

Located in Brookvale, the new venue offers a relaxed and down-to-earth atmosphere whilst still providing one-of-a-kind spirit and cocktail offerings, paired with exciting menu options from head chef, Rob Phillips (former Group Executive Chef for a range of Sydney bars, The Cumberland, Donny’s and Insitu; chef at Garfish and leading international hotels).

Meet our Founder and CEO, John O’Connor, and here more about the Goodradigbee journey to date.

What was the spark of the idea for Goodradigbee Distillers?

My dream was to create a spirit that’s the only one of its kind on the shelf. This burning desire began, funnily enough, while burning Australian hardwood on a campfire beside my beloved river. A large Ironbark log from the mighty Ironbark tree was placed in the flames. Then the guessing game began. Was that the aroma chocolate wafting from the flames. Another campfire, another question. On a sheep station in Leonora WA, a Jarrah log was thrown down. Was that the aroma of cinnamon or aniseed? This was revelatory – incredible aromas emerging from native trees.

How do you say the name?

It’s phonetic. Good, Ra, Dig, Bee. The name might be hard to say at first, but our spirits are much easier to drink than it is to say the name!

What’s in the name, Goodradigbee?

We’re an Australian distillery named after a very special river, a place of connection, country and celebration. We’re here to help everyone who tastes our unique spirits to feel that same connection. Goodradigbee is a very different distiller from adherents to the traditional scotch whisky production methodology. We mature spirits in Australian hardwood cubes, not French or American oak barrels and we’re establishing a completely new category – an Australian hardwood malt spirit. Using Australian hardwoods creates a unique provenance, and typically a soft, sweet, and mellow taste profile.

I learnt to fly-fish on the Goodradigbee River in the pristine Snowy Mountains wilderness. These were glorious moments that have stayed with me my whole life. The mountains on either side of the river soar into the sky, densely wooded and rugged, and thick grass plains frame the scene, making for a perfect campsite. To me, it was serene, beautiful, and exciting – and it became my happy place. That ethos is alive and well in the distillery.

Partnering with Ngunnawal people to bring the Goodradigbee Distillers’ story to all Australians, the distillery’s name means ‘water running over rocks’ and draws inspiration from the idyllic Goodradigbee River, which winds its way through the Snowy Mountains. It rises from aquifers deep below Mount Morgan and is fed further by the pure snow melt from Kosciuszko National Park. Australia’s hardwoods are born of this unique, pristine environment. All these elements come together to make something different and truly special for Goodradigbee Distillers.

Tell us about The GoodBar.

I am so excited that we have opened our bar and cellar door and we can now host patrons in our unique distillery in Brookvale, a burgeoning hub in Sydney for breweries and distilleries.

Goodradigbee Distillers is built on Indigenous Australian soil and the native Australian ingredients and flavours are evident throughout our entire distillery, it’s something we highly regard and will remain a core focus, from the cubes we mature our spirits in, to the bush ingredients within our cocktails and menu offerings.  Goodradigbee Distillers is located at 41 Orchard Road, Brookvale in the Brookvale Arts District. All bar customers get $15 off a cellar door purchase. Come and say hi!

What’s your favourite drink?

For me, nothing beats a Goodradigbee Ironbark Red on ice at the end of the evening.

IN-THE-BOX THINKING

Our accelerated maturation cubes, built from unique Australian hardwoods, have a much higher wood-to-liquid volume than a barrel, so more wood equals more flavour and the colour of a 10-year-old single malt whisky in months.

The Australian hardwoods we chose, most of which come from the high-country areas, are hard and dense because of the weather extremes. Unlike oak, which is effectively a ‘wet’ wood to begin with, our hardwoods react violently with the liquid, cracking and opening up, absorbing the liquid. The results are Australian hardwood malt spirits and wood-infused gins that are sweet, complex, and delicious.

The Australian hardwoods chosen by Goodradigbee Distillers include Jarrah, Ironbark Yellow, Ironbark Red and Tasmania Blackwood. From the Alps and the high country, they are hard and dense because of the weather extremes they experience. The hardwoods react violently with the spirits, cracking and opening up, absorbing the liquid. The results are Australian hardwood malt spirits that are sweet, complex, delicious and revolutionary. The portfolio also spans wood-infused gins like Goodradigbee Sweetwater Gin and native botanical gins like Freshwater Gin and the complex pink Blush Gin. Add their Orchard Road Dry, and the range is comprehensive. The hardwood influence continues with their Grey Gum Vodka, aged in Grey Ironbark and then double distilled. Goodradigbee Distillers’ gins use indigenous bush ingredients including native juniper, akadu and Davidson plums, quandong, muntries, native currents and finger limes, sourced by 100% Aboriginal owned social enterprise, Bush to Bowl, Something Wild, Warndu and Australian Natif.

 

News and Events

THE SPIRITS OF GOODRADIGBEE CLUB

Our members only club was born of a passion to make Australia’s most unique spirits by two exceptional people; a Scottish Master of Malt who produces brilliant single malt whisky, rum and gin, and an inventive Aussie who creates spirits not seen or tasted before.

Take a trip to our club and see what the fuss is about at www.spiritsclub.goodradigbee.com

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Casey was called by us on March 31st after a random number draw and told he was the winner of our totally unique whisky maturation cubes. These cubes are a work of art, and we hope Casey gets years of pleasure and many drams of enjoyment from it. needless to say, it was a very happy conversation for all concerned. Casey has gone with the option of 6 litres of the deliciously mellow Ironbark Yellow, and 6 litres of the complex and flavoursome Ironbark Red single malts.

Congratulations Casey and thanks to everyone who entered. 

WIN a Bottomless Cube!

At Goodradigbee Distillers, we like to do things differently. And that doesn’t stop at creating our own unique Australian hardwood cubes that accelerate the maturation of our distinct single malt spirits. No sir… just imagine if one of our cubes was always full, no matter how much you enjoyed the spirits within.

Well, imagine no more. It’s here.

Win a 4-litre cube

You can win one of our 4-litre accelerated maturation cubes, filled with your choice of either a fine Ironbark Red, Ironbark Yellow, or Jarrah single malt spirit (view our tasting notes on the product pages in our Store).

We will refill the cube twice, which should give you more than enough quality single malt spirit for a year.

Prize value:

Cube Inner:

Cube Outer:

Vanes:

Whisky:

TOTAL VALUE:

$480

$600

$250

$1,760 including GST

$3,090

ENTRY FORM

By submitting your details using the entry form below, you are confirming that you are of legal drinking age and accept the terms and conditions of the competition. All fields are mandatory for entry to the competition.