Taste of the nation

From bush to beach, SAMANTHA PAYNE explores what makes an Australian drink.

- SAMANTHA PAYNE

AUSTRALIA'S LANDSCAPES AREN'T SIMPLY POSTCARDworthy - they are palate-shaping. From the red earth to eucalyptusscented coastlines, native botanicals such as lemon myrtle, wattleseed and Davidson’s plum are finding their way into bottles. A wave of distillers, brewers and winemakers - many of whom are Indigenous-owned - have been crafting drinks that don’t just taste good but harbour a sense of place. So, what makes a drink Australian? Perhaps it begins not in the glass, but in the ground.