The Gospel Whiskey

The Gospel in Melbourne makes American-style rye whiskies using 100% Australian rye grains. Sourced from a single farmer in the semi-arid Murray Mallee region on the border of North-West Victoria and South Australia, the rye is planted as a cover crop. It requires no irrigation, pesticides or fertilisers, thus making it one of Australia's most environmentally friendly grains. And it makes all the difference in The Gospel’s whiskies, showcasing a far fruitier quality than the dill pickles and rye bread character you’d find in American ryes. Founder Andrew Fitzgerald has long been a fan of American whisky, music and machinery, and, after building his moonshine distillery (Melbourne Moonshine) with business partner Ben Bowles, The Gospel was a way for them to create something with a bit of mass appeal but still with a strong sense of place. The Gospel’s whiskies are also made at a commercial (although still small by global standards) scale, meaning they’re among the most reasonably priced and widely distributed Aussie whiskies on the market. Its flagship Solera and straight ryes are designed to compete directly with imported whiskies like Canadian Club and Rittenhouse, while also building an affordable foundation for the new category of Australian rye. And that foundation is a solid one. Fitzgerald is a huge fan of American cocktail culture, so his rye is designed explicitly for cocktails like the Manhattan and the Sazerac, with a robust backbone of charred new American oak, and he’s obsessive about the quality of the casks they use. While the majority of The Gospel's releases are aimed at everyday drinking and mixing, The 'Projects' series of limited edition whiskies is produced in unique and experimental ways aimed at serious whisky connoisseurs. The Gospel’s whiskies have improved remarkably since their first release, and they're now among the most trustworthy names in Australian distilling for consistency and quality. -FRED SIGGINS