Manly Spirits have built a reputation for doing things differently, and their Lilly Pilly Pink Gin is a perfect example. This is a flavoured gin that leans into native Australian botanicals — specifically the lilly pilly, a tart, cranberry-like berry that grows wild along the eastern seaboard. At 40% ABV, it sits right at the standard strength for a pink gin, which tells me the distillers want the fruit character to do the talking without leaning on boozy heat as a crutch.
Style & Character
What draws me to this bottle is the approach. Too many pink gins on the market are little more than food colouring and sugar syrup bolted onto a neutral base. Manly Spirits, to their credit, have chosen an ingredient with genuine personality. Lilly pilly brings a sharp, almost rhubarb-like tartness that should cut through any residual sweetness and keep the gin feeling balanced and grown-up. It is the kind of botanical choice that rewards curiosity.
At £41.75, this sits in the mid-premium bracket — not cheap, but reasonable for a gin with a genuine point of difference. If you are tired of identikit berry-pink gins and want something that actually tastes of the place it comes from, this deserves a spot on your shortlist.
Best Served
I would pair this with a dry tonic — Fever-Tree Light works well — a squeeze of fresh finger lime for that caviar-like citrus burst, and a sprig of lemon myrtle if you can find it. The Australian botanicals will sing together. Alternatively, try it in a Pink Negroni riff: equal parts Lilly Pilly Pink Gin, Cocchi Rosa, and Campari. The tartness of the lilly pilly holds its own against the bitters beautifully.
