Saint Fiacre Distillery

Saint Fiacre Distillery

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Posted 2011-03-12 by Dora Bonafollow
It was first noticed in ancient times that when a liquid boiled, the vapours vanish into the spirit world - hence the name "spirits" for distilled drinks.

In 2006, Philip Moore, one of Australia's premier herb growers decided to recreate the long held traditions of ancient alchemists and monks. He opened a micro-distillery, St. Fiacre Distillery , where he creates a range of spirits made from Australian native botanicals.

St. Fiacre is in Erina, near the seaside town of Terrigal. For over 5 years, Mr Moore has been producing internationally acclaimed Australian native liqueurs, vodka and dry gin in a traditional copper pot still.



His main aim was to meet or exceed the quality of the great European spirits, while showcasing the distinct flavours of Australia. He uses home grown ingredients like cinnamon and lemon myrtle, wild lime, macadamia and Illawarra plum.

Philip Moore was recognized for his craftmanship on the world stage in 2008, taking out four major awards in the prestigious International Wine and Spirit Competitions in Germany and London.

When I first arrived at St. Fiacre's I felt a sense of peace and tranquility. And this was before I began to sample the spirits! The distillery is set amongst 2.5 acres of what was once known as "the Fragrant Garden".




Mr Moore's passion is evident from the moment you meet him as he waxes lyrical about the botanicals he uses in the creation of his drinks. He says that when you come into the distillery, you meet them in their immortal state – the spirit world.


When I asked about the name, he informed me that St Fiacre (pronounced FEE-AKRA) was a Seventh Century Irish monk, the Patron Saint of Gardeners. Legend has it that he was renowned as a master herbalist, healer and holy man with an almost magical gift for growing and administering medicinal plants.

His products speak for themselves. His connoisseur's gin is made using flavours like wild lime, cinnamon myrtle and Illawarra Plum. It's the result of seven separate hand distillations, or one for each botanical. Even his labels are hand crafted.



His liquers are devine, and you really get a wonderful sense of the various herbs and spices infused throughout them.


This quirky, but fascinating man is always experimenting with different flavours and techniques in the quest to capture the essence of the spirit world. St. Fiacre Distillery is worth a visit if you're anywhere near the Central Coast, not much more than an hour's drive from Sydney.

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161427 - 2023-06-14 19:16:20

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