Western Australia is known for producing some mighty fine beverages, and is home to a number of award-winning distilleries. There’s Sin Gin, Whipper Snapper, Old Young’s, and The West Winds, to name a few. And now, there’s a new kid on the block making waves in the spirits world.
Only in their first year of operation, Banks & Bloom Distillery and Lab have laid claim to the Double Gold Award at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) for their Banks & Bloom Ice Vodka.
The SFWSC is the most prestigious spirits competition in the world, being both the oldest and largest of its kind founded in the year 2000. This year they received close to 6,000 entries from over 40 countries; followed by a blind tasting by a judging panel made up of some of the most experienced experts in the industry.
Banks & Bloom’s winning vodka is the first voddy to win a Double Gold for a cold vacuum distilled spirit, having been devised while sitting in a boat off the coast of Little Parakeet Bay on Rottnest Island.
Using blood lime, saltbush, and samphire botanicals, and further distilled at cold temperatures under vacuum which gently preserves the delicate compounds; the Ice Vodka flaunts subtle citrus notes, underlying vanilla aroma, a sweet and supple palate with caramel and almond nuance, and complemented with a clean crisp finish.
The Double Gold award is grant to those that received a gold medal rating by all members of the judging panel, making Double Gold recipients amongst the finest in the world.
Banks and Bloom’s distillation process is designed to preserve the purity of the flavours of native Australian ingredients used throughout their range. River mint, wattle seed, boonjie tamarind, Davidson plum, saltbush, karkalla, and desert lime and amongst a few that will tantalise your taste buds.
These particular ingredients have time and time again proven to be more difficult to work with on a molecular level than more popular fruits and botanicals. But turns out that Banks & Bloom are committed to their locally created extracts.
Managing Director, Trent Carroll says, “To win Double Gold in our first year of operation is something we feel incredibly proud of and it’s really just the tip of the iceberg.
“We have a line-up of exciting new products in our R&D drinks lab, new spirits under development in our cold vacuum distillery, and most excitedly we are nearing the launch of our THC extract technology that will revolutionise the cannabis drinks market overseas,” Trent shares.
While Executive Director and Biochemist, Elaine Darby says, “Sticking to our guns and doing things uniquely even when it’s the harder road to take,” is what sets Banks & Bloom Distillery and Lab apart.
You can get your hands on the distillery’s products at leading independent Western Australian bottle shops, with Banks & Bloom’s online shop due to launch over asap.