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Carpe Negroni: A New Star in the Craft Spirit Firmament
Unashamedly inspired by an obsessive quest for the perfect Negroni, talented hospitality veterans Felix Clark and Corinna Kovner began their distilling journey with a 20-litre coffee boiler still in the backyard of their Newtown digs. Tentative sampling to their hospo friends confirmed what they initially believed—their efforts were hitting the mark, and Ester Gin was born.
Initially, it was a slow burn while the running of two successful cafes in Sydney and important life admin took precedence. The penny finally dropped in 2020 when their Ester Strong Gin won Best in Show at the Australian Gin Awards. One of the judges took Clark aside, proclaiming Ester’s Strong to be “The best Gin I’ve had in my life”. There would be no turning back.
To borrow a phrase from F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ester’s guiding philosophy seems less textbook and more of “a constant, turbulent riot”. Made without regard to perceived trends or esoteric, headline-grabbing botanicals, these are Gins of outstanding class and true quality.
The first rule of Ester: charismatic flavour, and lots of it. Ester’s botanical load is between 110 and 150% higher than most other Gins, which drives up costs—a price Felix and Corinna are happy to pay considering the uptick in flavour and wrap-around-the-tongue character they get into the glass. The second rule is balance: no one component steals the show. Clark and Kovner bring a chef’s mentality to fine-tune the scale between big flavour and textural elements.
The Dry Gin is openly based on a London Dry style: bold, savoury and specifically designed to be used in a Negroni (although you are welcome to expand on that). The Strong Gin has already been festooned by industry acclaim, winning World’s Best Navy at the 2021 World Gin Awards (among other awards). There’s also a righteous prebatched Negroni—a badge of honour for Clark—that in our opinion, tastes like it was designed to set a benchmark for the category.
Clark and Kovner are presently renovating their distillery space in Marrickville, a large 1950s/60s red brick building “so ugly it’s beautiful”, with enough room for a bar and gallery. Frankie, Ester’s 200-litre hybrid offset still, stands at the ready, with Clark expecting that this still’s smaller batches will enable him to refine his recipe even further. And this is just the beginning of the journey. To Felix Clark and Corinna Kovner, resting on your laurels seems a sign of defeat. There are now several new Gin styles in conception, and the building next door has already been earmarked for Clark’s other love, Rum.
Ester’s striking Dry Gin is crafted using a traditional all-in method of distillation. Sitting at a proper and well-integrated 43% abv, the recipe takes the clean, juniper-forward profile inspired by a classic London Dry style before layers of Ester’s own unique twist—with a punch of savoury citrus flavour and the judicious accent of locally grown botanicals. Aromatically, a proud hit of juniper, coriander and liquorice root spike the spirit with dry spice and herbaceous intensity. Then unctuous, macadamia-enhanced texture floats across the tongue, animated by earthy citrus notes of native finger lime and lemon myrtle. Sweet mandarin lifts the finish while adding a twist of elegance. The result? An unfiltered, exceptionally classy and well-balanced Gin for classicists and modernists alike, and a natural for any traditional Gin cocktails.
Like a classic Gimlet, this doesn't smell that juicy or sweet at first sniff. Instead, the balance of the peel, oil and juice keeps this drink as fragrant as the Gin that forms its base. The dilution brings juniper and coriander seed to the fore, and on the palate you get a lip-smacking sweet/sour tang with herbal body and generosity. Mandarin takes the classic Gimlet out of a dark bar and into an outdoor summery setting.
You get what you put in—this really is hard to match, and nigh-impossible to pick as a prebatched mix. Pour straight from the fridge or freezer (-15º works a treat, but don't over-chill or it will freeze) for one of the classiest and most authentic Negronis around. It’s certainly got enough flavour to be diluted with tonic or soda if that’s what floats your boat. Fosco Scarselli could hardly have done better!
Florals and spice weave over a foundation of citrus and pine forest; it’s viscous and intense with a thunderous undercurrent of spice and citrus, all layered with complex savoury notes. The beauty of the recipe means that, somehow, nothing stands out save for the remarkable layered texture, and symphony of balanced flavours. It’s been dubbed a Gin geek’s Gin, yet there is nothing elitist about it: just a beautifully crafted and quintessential cocktail gin that is built for the classics.
Ester Dry Gin - 2020 Australian Distilled Spirits Awards - Gold
Ester Dry Gin - 2021 Australian Gin Awards - Gold
Ester Dry Gin - 2021 World Gin Awards - Gold
Ester Strong Gin - 2020 Australian Gin Awards Joint Best in Show
Ester Strong Gin - 2021 World Gin Awards World’s Best Navy
Ester Strong Gin - 2021 Australian Gin Awards - Gold
Country
Australia
Primary Region
Sydney, New South Wales
Availability
National
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