In 2013, three bald men in the Yarra Valley had a bold dream: to make Four Pillars the global benchmark for luxury craft gin at scale. They started with one perfect expression, Rare Dry Gin, and built from there. Today, Head Distiller Sarah Prowse, who joined in 2020, oversees one of the world’s most awarded gin ranges. The accolades speak volumes: International Gin Producer of the Year at the IWSC a record three times. All their gin is still distilled and bottled at home in Healesville, where over 120,000 visitors arrive each year to see how it’s done.
For the team, it comes down to two things: creativity and community. When they launched, gin hadn’t innovated in decades. The category felt stale. Four Pillars wanted to show just how versatile and exciting gin could be without losing what made it gin in the first place. They figured there were enough London Dry expressions in the world, so they carved out their own lane: modern Australian gin, aromatic and unapologetically local.
Australia gives them access to remarkable native botanicals and year-round fresh produce. Rather than distil with dried citrus like most producers, they use fresh oranges in Rare Dry Gin. Their home sits in wine country, so instead of attempting a classic sloe gin, they created Bloody Shiraz Gin, a cult favourite that turns shiraz grapes into something entirely new. It’s this willingness to look sideways, to use what’s around them rather than import convention, that defines their approach.
The other piece is community. The Australian spirits industry has grown astronomically over the past 10 to 15 years, and the Four Pillars co-founders have been huge drivers of that. They sought counsel from generous, interesting people in the early days, and now they champion others. To build a robust industry, they believe you need to support, celebrate and lift each other up.
They also realised early how energy-intensive gin production is. Spent oranges from distillation become Made From Gin orange marmalade. The distillery runs entirely on renewable energy. Sustainability isn’t an afterthought; it’s always front of mind.
