Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin is one of those bottles that quietly changed the conversation about what gin could be outside of Europe. Distilled at their Yarra Valley home, this Contemporary style gin leans into Australian native botanicals without losing sight of the juniper-forward backbone that keeps things grounded. At 41.8% ABV, it sits in a comfortable sweet spot — enough strength to carry its botanical complexity into a cocktail, gentle enough to sip with just a splash of tonic.
A Botanical Bridge Between Continents
What strikes me most about this gin is its ingredient list. Juniper leads, as it should, but then you get whole fresh oranges — not dried peel, whole fruit — which tells you something about the distillery's commitment to freshness and texture. Lemon myrtle and Tasmanian pepperberry bring distinctly Australian character, while star anise, coriander, cardamom and cinnamon read like a walk through a Southeast Asian spice market. Having spent years in Singapore and Tokyo, I recognise that interplay between citrus brightness and warm spice depth. It reminds me of the balance you find in a well-made laksa paste — aromatic layers that build rather than compete.
The Turmeric Question
Turmeric is a bold inclusion. It is not a botanical you see often in gin, and it signals that Four Pillars are willing to push boundaries. Combined with the angelica root anchoring the earthy base notes, this is a gin with real structural ambition. The Contemporary classification feels right. This is not trying to be a London Dry and it is not pretending to be something wildly experimental either. It occupies a confident middle ground — modern, distinctive, but still unmistakably gin.
Worth the Shelf Space?
At £42, Four Pillars Rare Dry sits in a competitive bracket. You are paying for quality distillation, genuine native botanicals and a recipe that has clearly been refined over time. For a Contemporary gin with this level of complexity and drinkability, I think that price is justified. It earns a strong 8.5 out of 10 from me — a versatile, thoughtfully constructed spirit that rewards both casual drinkers and those who like to pull apart what is happening in the glass.
Best served with a premium Indian tonic, a wheel of fresh orange and a single star anise floated on top. For something more adventurous, try it in a gin sour with yuzu juice, a teaspoon of turmeric honey syrup and a few drops of Angostura. The spice in the gin meets the citrus beautifully — it drinks like something you would find at a late-night cocktail bar in Shibuya.
