Halliday hails Bellarine Distillery with top-tier scores

BELLARINE Distillery is raising a glass after two of its signature spirits received standout scores from the team at James Halliday.

The distillery’s flagship gin, Teddy & The Fox, was awarded 96 points, while the gin-based Legacy Liqueur earned 95 points – ratings reserved for outstanding spirits of gold medal-standard.

Head distiller Craig Michael said the recognition was deeply encouraging for the small Bellarine team.

“We haven’t entered Teddy or the gins in competitions for a while now, so we thought we’ll see what Halliday thinks,” Michael said.

“It’s very, very exciting to get those results.”

The distillery’s flagship gin, Teddy & The Fox, was awarded 96 points by the team at James Halliday. Photo: Chris McConville

Halliday judge Jess Clayfield praised Teddy & The Fox for its citrus lift, thoughtful use of native botanicals and cohesive, polished finish.

Produced in small 100-litre batches, the gin is built around vapour-infused juniper, organic Valencia oranges and lemon myrtle, delivering what Michael describes as an approachable flavour with a distinctly Australian edge.

“We always describe Teddy as lemonade icy-poles and orange sherbet,” he said. “It’s a nice combination.”

The recognition from the Halliday team reflects years of careful refinement.

“We know that Teddy is good, but we’ve been tweaking it a little bit here and there over the years,” Michael said. “It’s been getting better and better and it’s nice to see that recognised.”

Legacy Liqueur – a blend of Teddy & The Fox gin and botrytis semillion dessert wine – also drew strong praise, with Halliday judge Fred Siggins labelling it “delicate and beautifully balanced”.

The liqueur was created in honour of Bellarine Distillery co-founder Lorelle Jo Warren, who died last year.

Michael thanked the distillery’s local customers for their ongoing support, saying the Halliday scores may help expand the business’s reach, but it is the community’s loyalty that sustains it.

“Teddy is the backbone of our business,” Michael said. “And that’s thanks mainly to the support that we get locally, the people coming back and making it their gin of choice.”