In November 2015, @Juniperlooza was launched as Australia’s Orginal Gin Festival. The event showcases Gin producers from all over the world. Juniperlooza has become the biggest celebration of Gin ever held in Australia. It is hosted locally in Melbourne at the @Boatbuilders Yard each year. Enjoying a crisp, ice-cold Gin cocktail in the sunshine, overlooking the Yarra River pretty much sets the scene for the event. What more could you possibly ask for? 

It’s Gin Time

Gin is a popular alcoholic spirit all over the world, particularly in London. The production method for Gin is to distil a variety of botanicals. Generally, the predominant flavour for Gin is from the botanical called juniper berries ( Juniperus communis). In addition to Juniper, coriander, citrus peel, cinnamon, almond and liquorice are also frequently used botanicals to distil Gin.

What Makes Juniperlooza A Sold Out Event

For someone who is not into spirits, I fell in love with Gin at Juniperlooza. This Gin-pervaded revelry was in full swing on the day (Saturday, February 9, 2019). 21 boutique producers from all over the world. The lineup includes Chase Distillery from the UK, Four Pillars, Cedar Fox, Killara, The Botanist Islay Dry Gin, Martin Millers and many more.

Martin Miller’s Gin – The Smoothest Gin I Have Ever Tasted

The selection of Gin-infused tipples was overwhelming. My eyes were jumping from one booth to another until this rose containing cocktail caught my attention. I followed the rose trail and landed in front of this booth –Martin Millers. 

The staff was very friendly, especially the brand ambassador named Andy. He came to introduce himself, then, kindly gifted my friend and me a beautiful rose each. Soon, Andy offered us a sampling. I was reluctant due to horrible experiences with sprites in the past. My friend Roslyn took the initiative and sampled some. The feedback was very positive. Hence, I changed my mind. One sip down, I could not believe how smooth the Martin Miller’s Gin was. There was no nasty after taste of ethanol in my throat, which was the reason why I disliked a lot of spirits. 

“Martin Miller’s Gin is classified as a dry Gin, with a well-balanced cast of botanicals including juniper, the main one, in support, coriander, angelica, lime peel, liquorice root, nutmeg, cassia bark, and Florentine iris”, explained Craig. 

What a Gin masterpiece! Martin Millers has changed my perception of Gin for the better. I would definitely give Gin another try when I go out next, perhaps other spirits too. In fact, I ordered one right there on the spot, and I loved it. 

Food, Performers and More

In addition to the fantastic Gin selections, the Boatbuilders Yard kitchen supplied a parade of delicious bites to be enjoyed with the drinks.

The music was on point as live DJ tunes were spinning right through the event. Plus, every now and then the roving performance artists came to do their rounds and make silly moves to the beat just to crack everyone up. 

Juniperlooza 2019 was a blast. I am looking forward to seeing what Juniperlooza has got to bring in 2020. If you’d like to come along next year, subscribe to the Juniperlooza e-news to get your early presale tickets, so you don’t miss out!

If you would like to know more about The Boatbuilders Yard, see our previous foodies experience here.