Welcome to 2024 and what will no doubt be another doozy of a year, I do hope yours is off to a positive start.

I’m very excited to share that I’m off to the USA for a short visit in a few days (mid-February) to see my friends from US Modernist Radio in Palm Springs California for a week or so.  I had the distinct honour of being part of their award winning podcast a few years back, one of the first Australians to be on the show, and I’ll be part of their festival program showcasing and celebrating all things Mid-Century Modern in that wonderful location and they’ve asked me to share my insights about the Martini, it’s lore and pro-tips and more, so that’s going to be very special.  Make sure you follow me on Instagram for daily video updates and exclusive chats and more. I’ll also be visiting some of the local desert distillery scene too – so will have lots to share with you – including a couple of notable bars in LA with a special guest before I fly back.

In early March, back in Canberra, I’m honoured to be part of the annual cultural festival, Enlighten again at Old Parliament House for one night only. I’m hosting a cabernet cocktail party with an 80s theme, plus local nightclub trivia and more.

This is one fun night out and guests dress up in some classic 80s looks and I mix up cocktail classics from the era. Tix are available via the official website.

The Australian craft distilling scene continues to grow despite challenges like a small market, lots of competition and a very high level of taxation (the third highest in the world), and I’ve just added several more to my list of distillers.  The pace seems to be slowing down a little, which is probably a good thing.

These lists I’ve maintained for over 12 years now from the get-go of the modern evolution of the industry and there are now 72 rum producers, 168 whisky distillers, 213 vodka brands, and a whopping 628 gin distilleries!

Of course there is some overlap amongst these spirit categories and distillers often make several types of spirits.

So until the next update, cheers and stay well!

Phillip