Archie Rose Byron Bay Macadamia Honey Gin, Digi Mart USA News (Australia): Australian distiller Archie Rose has released a gin made with honey harvested from the hives on co-owner Chris Hemsworth’s Byron Bay farm.
Named Byron Bay Macadamia Honey Gin, the expression is the first gin that Hemsworth, the Australian actor best known for playing Thor in the Marvel film franchise, has released with the Sydney-based distillery since joining as co-owner in late August.
“There’s a real taste of home with this one,” he said. “To harvest honey straight from our family farm up in Byron Bay is pretty special.
The bees roam across the whole coastal landscape, through the lush hinterland right down to the beach.
“Capturing the essence of my home at Byron Bay into an Australian gin is pretty awesome. It’s fresh, local, and a cracking drop to share with mates.”
The gin also uses macadamia honey from a neighboring grower, Australia’s Manuka, in the Northern Rivers. Other botanicals include juniper, orris root, coriander seed, orange peel, Roman chamomile, rose and yuzu peel.
Byron Bay Macadamia Honey Gin retails in Australia for AU$89.99 (US$62) with an ABV of 40%.
It is part of Archie Rose’s Harvest series, which celebrates the bounty and diversity of the Australian harvest. Each year, a different botanical is highlighted in collaboration with local growers.
Expanding on the release, Archie Rose’s master distiller, Dave Withers, said: “Without bees, there is no harvest, and without a thriving harvest, gin simply doesn’t exist. For this gin, we wanted to pay homage to nature’s ultimate craftspeople by creating a spirit rooted in the vibrant flora of the Northern Rivers.
“By using Chris Hemsworth’s raw, golden honey straight from his Byron Bay hives and complementing it with the extraordinarily floral macadamia blossom honey from neighboring orchards, we were able to capture the very essence of the coastal hinterland.
“This bottle is more than a gin; it’s a tribute to local growers, biodiversity, and the incredible synergy between nature and distillation.”
Archie Rose is also offering a limited number of jars of raw honey from Hemsworth’s personal hives to consumers who purchase either three bottles of Byron Bay Macadamia Honey Gin or the complete Harvest Trio set.
Last month, Hemsworth helped design a new identity for Archie Rose’s core whisky range as it debuted in the US, while also starring in a global campaign for the brand.
