Heading up to Port Stephens anytime soon? Be sure to stop by Lemon Tree Passage Distillery for an incredible gin and vodka experience. Offering serene waterfront views, gin tastings, and a mouth-watering selection of cocktails, this distillery continues to fill the region with high spirits!

Brought to us by couple, Marc Green and Susan Loy, the Port Stephens based business has been creating its unique gin and vodka products since late 2020. To hear more about the Lemon Tree Passage Distilling story, we caught up with Marc at their distillery and tasting space right on the shores of Tilligerry Peninsula. 

Port Stephens has always felt familiar to Marc, because of the way it reminds him of where he grew up, the river town of Como. Moving out to Port Stephens in 2017 with his wife and business partner Susan, the pair began to experiment with distilling spirits, playing around with different flavours and techniques.

“It was me trying to find out what to do with my science degree. I had done so much distillation in Uni. I could do it straight away,” Marc said.

The Lemon Tree Passage Distillery was all set to open its doors in early 2020, but due to the pandemic, they were only opened in September 2020. Initially, the distillery would go through waves of being very busy or very quiet. The more the locals found out about the distillery, the more consistent the numbers at Lemon Tree Passage became.

Lemon Tree Passage Distillery showcases local and native botanicals in their five delightful spirits:

Reliance Gin
Infused with strong, cinnamon-like Cassia Bark, Mountain Pepperberry, Native Acacia Wattleseed, and Orris Root. Sweetened with local honey.

The Pink Gin
Infused with Juniper, Tasmanian Mountain Pepperberry, Native Acacia Wattleseed, and Cassia Bark and leaving a fruity aftertaste of strawberry and raspberry. Sweetened with local honey.

Lemon Bite Gin 
Infused with lemon myrtle, lemon zest, lemon balm, and lemon verbena.

Boathouse Vodka
Made from sugar cane, distilled to a very high proof, and sweetened with local honey.

Hibiscus Vodka
Infused with hibiscus, rosehip, apple, raspberry, and strawberry.

“Being happy with the flavour profile of our gin took a good two years to figure out.”

The most popular products are the Lemon Gin and Reliance Gin, whilst Marc’s pick is the Hibiscus vodka!

The menu at Lemon Tree Passage Distillery includes classic cocktails, G&T’s, and specialty cocktails like James Bond’s Vesper Martini and the Tilli Sunset, named after the stunning view of a Tilligery sunset. The menu also features a “cocktail of the month”, bound to be an exciting concoction of gin or vodka!

The menu was designed and created by Susan, who loves to weave the area’s local history into the products. In fact, the Reliance Gin is named after the Ferry that used to bring people up from Salt Ash to Lemon Tree Passage.

The Lemon Tree Passage Distillery is currently open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with the potential of more days during the week as more people return to Port Stephens, so watch this space!

Gin and vodka lovers, you know where your next stop is. Buy a bottle online or from a local liquor shop or simply head to the Lemon Passage Tree Distillery and drink to your heart’s content.