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Late last year I took a holiday down the Sapphire Coast of NSW, and on the way back bought a heap of cheese from the Bodalla Dairy Shed. I tell you this because these cheeses used native botanicals and were freaking amazing.
As I finished eating those cheeses I wondered aloud to my wife that more products should use native botanicals. And sure enough, now I'm being told about Green Ant Gin, from indigenous AFL great Daniel Motlop.
Seven Seasons is an Indigenous-owned spirits brand founded by Larrakia man Daniel Motlop, who played more than 130 games in the AFL with North Melbourne and Port Adelaide before returning home to Darwin.
The gin's hero ingredient is, as the name suggests, the green ant. Harvested during the Windy Season when nests are freshly formed, the ants are separated using a traditional chilling method that leaves queen ants and breeding cycles entirely undisturbed. The colony survives season after season, and the result is a citrusy, vibrant pop that you won't find in any other bottle.
The full botanical lineup also includes Boobialla for coastal floral notes, Strawberry Gum for warm spice, and Lemon Myrtle and Pepper Berry to deepen the citrus base. It promises to be complex, layered, and unmistakably Australian.
Over three tonnes of native ingredients are sustainably wild-harvested each year, guided by the Larrakia seasonal calendar and approved by Traditional Owners and the Australian Government. Local Aboriginal harvesters are employed throughout the process, with proceeds flowing directly back into communities.
Motlop says the whole point is to spark curiosity. "Seven Seasons was born from a desire to share our knowledge, our culture, and extraordinary flavours with all Australians," he said. "I want people to pick up a bottle of Seven Seasons and ask questions, about the green ants, about the Larrakia seasons, and about the land these ingredients come from. That curiosity is the beginning of a real connection to Indigenous culture, and that connection is exactly what we set out to create."
The brand is now available nationally through Amber Beverage Group, bringing it to mainstream retail for the first time.
Pricing and availability
Seven Seasons Green Ant Gin is available now at Dan Murphy's and BWS, RRP $99.
The full range, including Bush Apple Gin and Bush Honey & Wattleseed Coffee Liqueur, is available at seven-seasons.com.au.
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