Four Pillars Gin: Origin, Lion Owner, Reviews & Price

Four Pillars Gin has turned heads across gin-loving markets worldwide with bold botanical flavors and experimental variants. Founded in 2013 in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, the craft distillery has evolved from a boutique operation to a globally recognized brand under Lion’s full ownership since July 2023.

Founded: 2013 · Location: Yarra Valley, Australia · Current Owner: Lion · Flagship Gin: Rare Dry Gin · Notable Variant: Bloody Shiraz Gin

These specifications are sourced from Drinks Digest, Good Gin-tentions, Travel Distilled, and Flux Finance reports.

Where is Four Pillars Gin from?

Four Pillars Distillery operates from Healesville in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, tucked against the foothills of the Great Dividing Range about an hour’s drive northeast of Melbourne. The location isn’t incidental—distillery founders Stuart Gregor, Matt Jones, and Cameron Mackenzie chose this spot specifically for access to triple-filtered water from the local watershed and proximity to native botanical sources (Drinks Digest). The distillery has expanded to become a tourism destination offering guided tastings with views across the valley.

Yarra Valley location

The Yarra Valley is better known for its cool-climate wineries, but the region’s elevation, rainfall, and indigenous flora have made it an unexpected goldmine for gin production. Visitors to the Healesville site report tastings served on wooden paddles with tonic, accompanied by “incredible Yarra Valley views” according to tour booking platforms (GetYourGuide). Tripadvisor reviewers note the experience as enjoyable, though some flagged the tonic selection as disappointing due to high fructose corn syrup content (Tripadvisor).

Distillery details

The distillery’s centrepiece is Wilma, a custom copper pot still that Master of Malt highlights as the production heart of Four Pillars operations (Master of Malt). The rare dry gin is made using a wheat base and pot still distillation method that allows the team to extract bright, clear botanical character from their ten botanicals. Tours typically include five to six tastings, with lunch available as an additional option.

Is 4 Pillars a good gin?

The short answer from professional reviewers: yes, Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin is a well-crafted spirit with distinctive character, though it has some limitations depending on how you plan to drink it. The gin scores 87/100 from Good Gin-tentions, with particular strength in spice (4/5) and herbal notes (4/5), though juniper presence rates lower at 1/5 (Good Gin-tentions). The Ginis In describes the mouthfeel as “luscious” with makrut lime, oranges, and baking spice alongside mild juniper, calling it “beautifully made with a lot of bright, clear botanical character” (The Ginis In).

Tasting notes

On the nose, Travel Distilled picks up Vietnamese cinnamon, pink peppercorns, and Mineola orange from the botanical blend of juniper, coriander, cardamom, star anise, lemon myrtle, Tasmanian pepperberry, lavender, cinnamon, angelica, and organic oranges (Travel Distilled). On the palate, citrus recedes with the spicy Tasmanian pepperberry coming forward, creating a warming finish that differs markedly from traditional London Dry profiles. Good Gin-tentions describes the overall profile as “cool, refreshing citrus with orange, licorice flavors” (Good Gin-tentions).

Reviews and awards

While Four Pillars positions itself among the world’s benchmark distilleries according to its own branding, verified awards documentation remains limited in publicly available sources. The reviews above represent the most detailed independent assessments currently accessible. Reddit discussions from distillery visitors consistently describe Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin as “excellent” for the price point, with particular praise for the Bloody Shiraz variant among adventurous gin drinkers.

Who owns Four Pillars Gin now?

Brewing and beverage giant Lion became the sole owner of Four Pillars in July 2023 after purchasing the remaining 50% stake for approximately $50 million (Drinks Digest). This completed a ownership journey that began four years earlier when Lion acquired its initial 50% stake for an estimated $40 million in 2019 (Drinks Digest). Lion CEO Sam Fischer commented on the acquisition: “We’re delighted to have really extended our partnership to full ownership” (Drinks Digest).

Acquisition history

The Three founders—Stuart Gregor, Matt Jones, and Cameron Mackenzie—established Four Pillars in 2013 as an independent craft distillery focused on Australian botanicals and premium copper pot distillation. The craft gin boom of the late 2010s caught Lion’s attention, leading to the 2019 minority investment. By 2023, the brewing giant exercised its option on the remaining equity, bringing the total estimated investment to roughly $90 million for 100% control (Drinks Digest).

Lion ownership

Lion has signalled intentions to expand Four Pillars beyond its current footprint of 25 international markets, according to financial reporting (Flux Finance). The distillery was reportedly on track to sell 1.2 million bottles in the year of full acquisition—roughly double its 2019 volume. Four Pillars joins a spirits portfolio that places it alongside craft beer brands under Lion’s broader luxury beverages strategy.

How much did Lion pay for Four Pillars?

The acquisition figures are substantial: Lion paid an estimated $40 million for the initial 50% stake in 2019, then approximately $50 million for the remaining 50% stake in July 2023, bringing the total estimated investment to around $90 million (Drinks Digest). At that valuation, Four Pillars commands a premium multiple relative to its physical assets, reflecting the brand value, distribution network, and growth trajectory under the craft gin trend.

Deal details

The two-tranche structure of Lion’s investment is notable. Rather than a single purchase, the phased acquisition allowed the founders to retain operational influence during the initial years while benefiting from Lion’s distribution muscle. The option to acquire the remaining stake was likely embedded in the original 2019 term sheet, exercised when Lion decided full ownership served its premium spirits strategy better than the minority partnership model.

Company valuation

Applying the $90 million total investment against projected 1.2 million bottle sales in 2023 implies a per-bottle acquisition cost of roughly $75—though this simplified calculation ignores the full balance sheet. Industry observers note the valuation reflects not just production capacity but brand equity, Australian craft positioning, and export market penetration across 25 countries (Flux Finance).

Four Pillars Gin distillery

Beyond the numbers, the Healesville distillery represents the physical heartbeat of the Four Pillars brand. Visitors describe it as a working distillery with an attached cellar door offering tastings, tours, and the opportunity to sample variants not widely available in retail. The site draws on Yarra Valley’s food and wine tourism infrastructure, positioned alongside wineries as a day-trip destination from Melbourne (GetYourGuide).

History and products

The product line has expanded from the Rare Dry Gin flagship to include variants that showcase Australian botanical innovation. Bloody Shiraz Gin infuses Shiraz grape character into the base spirit, delivering berry, wine, and vermouth-like notes with a “bittersweet and blood red” profile according to Drinkhacker (Drinkhacker). Navy Strength Gin cranks the alcohol up to 58.8% ABV, using finger limes, ginger, and turmeric botanicals to create an overproof expression that holds its own in cocktails requiring dilution headroom (Travel Distilled).

Stockists and price

Four Pillars products appear in specialty bottle shops, select supermarkets, and online retailers across Australia, with distribution extending to the UK, US, and other export markets via Lion’s logistics network. Specific retail pricing varies by bottle size, retailer, and region, and current sources do not provide a consistent standardized price for the Rare Dry Gin 70cl format (Master of Malt). Checking major online spirit retailers or in-store at Dan Murphy’s and BWS locations will yield region-specific pricing.

Four Pillars Gin price

Pinpointing exact retail prices proves challenging because Four Pillars pricing fluctuates by market, retailer, and format. The brand operates across specialty retailers, supermarket chains, and direct-to-consumer channels, each with its own margin structure. For Australian buyers, major bottle shop chains like Dan Murphy’s and BWS typically stock Rare Dry Gin, while Tesco availability in the UK appears limited to specialist gin aisles in larger stores or online platforms (Master of Malt).

Pricing at retailers

Without consistent pricing data across sources, the most reliable approach is checking retailer sites directly for your region. Australian consumers should verify current pricing at Dan Murphy’s online store, while UK buyers might check Master of Malt or specialized gin retailers for import pricing that includes duty and shipping. The Bloody Shiraz variant typically commands a small premium over Rare Dry pricing due to its limited production and grape infusion process.

Availability

Four Pillars availability has expanded significantly under Lion’s ownership. The 25 international markets cited in financial reporting represent a substantial footprint, though not all markets carry the full product range. Rare Dry Gin is the most widely distributed expression; Navy Strength appears in more specialty outlets; Bloody Shiraz remains the collector’s item with seasonal or limited runs. Ireland availability remains a gap in current source documentation.

Four Pillars Gin review

Professional gin reviews consistently highlight Four Pillars’ departure from conventional juniper-forward styling. The rare dry gin receives praise for its “bright, clear botanical character” and “luscious mouthfeel” from independent reviewers, while the lower juniper rating from Good Gin-tentions suggests it occupies a niche rather than appealing to all gin palates (The Ginis In). Navy Strength garners attention for its overproof punch, and Bloody Shiraz remains a conversation starter for its wine-like qualities.

Variants like Navy Strength

The Navy Strength expression at 58.8% ABV represents a deliberate pivot toward cocktail enthusiasts who want a gin that can stand up to dilution without losing flavor. Finger lime brings citrus acidity while turmeric and ginger add warming spice, creating a botanical matrix that survives ice melt and mixer addition. This positions Navy Strength as a bartender’s gin rather than a sipping spirit.

Bloody Shiraz features

Bloody Shiraz demonstrates Four Pillars’ willingness to break conventions. By steeping the base gin with Shiraz grapes post-distillation, the team creates something that straddles gin, aromatized wine, and vermouth territory. Drinkhacker’s review describes the result as “berry, wine, vermouth-like notes, bittersweet and blood red” (Drinkhacker), suggesting it works best as a Negroni substitute or in red-wine-inspired cocktails rather than as a traditional gin and tonic.

What this means: The pattern shows Lion acquiring craft brands to scale distribution while preserving the product character that drives appeal—Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin’s 87/100 score suggests this formula works for gin specifically.

The timeline below shows how Four Pillars evolved from independent distillery to full corporate ownership under Lion.

“We’re delighted to have really extended our partnership to full ownership.”

Sam Fischer, Lion CEO (Drinks Digest)

“Beautifully made with a lot of bright, clear botanical character.”

The Ginis In reviewer (The Ginis In)

“It’s very good, but just not quite versatile enough to be an elite gin.”

Good Gin-tentions reviewer (Good Gin-tentions)

The trajectory of Four Pillars Gin illustrates how Australian craft distillers have carved a niche by prioritizing regional botanicals over traditional European styling. Under Lion’s majority ownership, the brand gains distribution muscle but risks dilution of the independent cred that resonated with early adopters. For Australian gin enthusiasts, the product quality remains intact; for international markets, expanded access may bring Four Pillars to shelves previously out of reach.

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