Walk into the Wildstreak Distillery cellar door in Pokolbin and you will notice a bottle that turns heads all year round. The label says Christmas, but one sip of this gin and you will understand why locals keep coming back for it long after the decorations come down.
Not Just for December
Wildstreak Christmas Gin started life as a seasonal release, a way to capture the flavours of an Australian Christmas in a bottle. It proved so popular that the distillery kept it in the lineup. At $60 and 39% ABV it sits slightly lower in strength and price than the core gin range, making it one of the most approachable spirits on the shelf.
The tasting notes read like a recipe for a lazy winter afternoon: warm notes of freshly baked gingerbread lightly dusted with icing sugar, rich Christmas cake and candied fruit. If you close your eyes you could be standing next to the oven at your grandmother's place.
That warmth is what makes it such a natural fit for the colder months. Where a classic dry gin leans on juniper and citrus (bright, sharp, summery), Christmas Gin trades those high notes for something rounder and more spiced. Think of it as gin's answer to a wool blanket.
How It Is Made
Like every spirit in the Wildstreak range, Christmas Gin is distilled on site at the family's property on Hermitage Road in the Hunter Valley. The base spirit starts clean and neutral before being redistilled with a carefully chosen botanical blend. In this case the botanicals lean heavily into warm baking spices (ginger, cinnamon and clove) alongside candied citrus peel and dried fruit. The result is a gin that still has a dry backbone but finishes with a biscuity sweetness you will not find in a traditional London Dry.
Small-batch production means the team can taste and adjust each run. There is no formula locked in a factory somewhere. If the ginger is punching too hard or the fruit isn't coming through, they tweak it on the spot. That hands-on approach is part of what sets a cellar-door distillery apart from the big brands.
Three Ways to Drink It
The Christmas G&T. Pour 45 mL of Christmas Gin over ice, top with a quality tonic and garnish with a cinnamon quill and a thin slice of orange. The tonic lifts the spice notes and the orange bridges the gap between the candied fruit and the juniper. This works just as well by the fireplace in July as it does on Christmas Day.
A Gin Fizz with a twist. Shake 45 mL of Christmas Gin with 20 mL of fresh lemon juice, 15 mL of sugar syrup and an egg white. Double strain into a coupe glass. The gingerbread flavour floats through the foam and the lemon keeps everything balanced. It is a crowd-pleaser for winter dinner parties.
Neat or on the rocks. Sometimes the simplest serve is the best. Pour a measure over a single large ice cube and let it open up for a minute. You will taste the baking spices first, then the fruit, then a clean dry finish. At 39% it is gentle enough to sip slowly without the burn of a higher-proof spirit.
Food Pairings
The warm spice profile of Christmas Gin makes it a surprisingly versatile food match. Try it alongside:
- Cheese boards: aged cheddar, blue cheese or a creamy brie all work. The ginger and spice cut through rich, fatty cheeses the same way a good chutney does.
- Roast pork or duck: the candied fruit notes mirror the classic fruit sauces you would pair with roast meats.
- Dark chocolate: a square of 70% dark chocolate alongside a neat pour is a simple end to a winter meal.
- Ginger biscuits or spiced cake: lean into the theme. A gingerbread gin with actual gingerbread is an obvious match and it genuinely works.
If you are dining at the Wildstreak Kitchen on site, ask for a tasting paddle to try Christmas Gin alongside the Classic Dry and Australian Dry. Tasting them side by side is the quickest way to understand how different botanical blends create completely different personalities from the same base spirit.
Part of a Bigger Range
Christmas Gin sits alongside five other spirits in the Wildstreak lineup. The Classic Dry Gin ($75) is the juniper-forward option built for martinis and traditional G&Ts. The Australian Dry Gin ($75) showcases native botanicals like lemon myrtle, grapefruit and macadamia. The Rosé Gin ($75) blends rose petals and summer berries for something lighter and more floral. Round it out with the Small Batch Vodka ($60) and the Australian Limoncello ($60).
If you want to explore the gin range, the Wildstreak Gin 3 Pack ($199, save $26) bundles the Classic Dry, Australian Dry and Rosé Gin together. It makes a solid gift for anyone who appreciates craft spirits.
Visit the Distillery
Wildstreak Distillery is part of the Peter Drayton Wines venue at 694 Hermitage Road, Pokolbin, right in the heart of the Hunter Valley wine region, just six minutes off the Hunter Expressway. The cellar door is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm. You can taste the full spirits range, grab a pizza from the kitchen, and work your way through the wine and beer lists while you are at it.
Bookings are recommended on weekends, and the venue is dog-friendly.
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