At Itinerant Spirits we look forward to being able to work with local businesses wherever possible and for our Spring Cocktail Menu, we were able to work with multiple Ballarat businesses. Our Bar Manager, Baz, had the opportunity to work with Saltbush Kitchen while coming up with his Spring Cocktail, Wattleseed White Russian. This cocktail features one of Saltbush Kitchens products, toasted wattleseed, which Baz discovered it “paired so well with coffee, whilst complimenting the sweet, biscuit and caramel qualities I like about Vansetter Vodka”.
What's the story that inspired your cocktail’s concept?
I love what our head distiller James has created with the Vansetter Vodka Coffee Liqueur. As soon as I tried it, my mind started coming up with all sorts of drink ideas and after a bit of brainstorming with our venue manager Blake, I started experimenting with the idea of a riff on a White Russian.
What local ingredients inspired the creation of your cocktail?
Almost everything that goes into this cocktail is local. For our Vansetter Vodka we source high quality Western Victorian wheat, which is then malted in Ballarat at Joe White Maltings and our Vansetter Vodka Coffee Liqueur uses coffee from Karon Farm Coffee Roasters and sugar from Grounded Pleasures. To make our Wattleseed White Russian, we combine these ingredients with beautiful wattleseed from Saltbush Kitchen and milk from Inglenook Dairy in Dunnstown, located just outside of Ballarat. It's so cool to actually know the faces of the many people whose amazing work is brought together into a single cocktail.
How did your partnership with local businesses influence the flavour profile?
Saltbush Kitchen is one of my favourite businesses in Ballarat. Every time you walk into their store, your senses are stimulated by the gorgeous colours and aromas of Australian native plants. This is quickly followed by a warm welcome from Saltbush Kitchen's founder, Brigid Corcoran.
Saltbush Kitchen focuses on using uniquely Australian all natural ingredients and small batch production, ensuring freshness, quality and maximum flavour. Brigid is also very mindful of the Wadawurrung land in which Saltbush Kitchen lives. This ethos really aligns with me and is something I want to help celebrate.
How do the unique qualities of Itinerant Spirits’ products pair with the local ingredients you chose?
When I think about wattleseed it evokes a sense of warmth. Its roasted coffee aroma, tones of nuttiness, chocolate and touches of spice are both complex and familiar. These flavours pair so well with our Vansetter Vodka Coffee Liqueur, whilst complimenting the sweet, biscuit and caramel qualities I like about Vansetter Vodka. The quality milk from Inglenook Dairy adds texture, delicately bringing all these ingredients together to make our Wattleseed White Russian.
If you’re looking to try Baz’s ‘Wattleseed White Russian’ or any other cocktails that showcase local producers and businesses from Ballaratt, Itinerant Spirits is open 12pm - Late from Wednesday to Sunday.
