Australian distillery creates Vegemite-themed spirit

Distiller Archie Rose has released a limited edition spirit based on the popular Australian condiment Vegemite, said to replicate the flavour of the yeast-based, umami-rich spread slathered on buttered sourdough toast.

Called the ArchieMite Buttered Toast Spirit, it has been distilled with uncultured Pepe Saya dairy butter and Sonoma bakery sourdough toast.

The unaged spirit was made using a “handful of yeast-extract spreads”, 25kg of butter and 15kg of sourdough.

Just 3,000 bottles of ArchieMite have been produced, each bottled at 40% ABV and priced at AU$79 (US$55) per 700ml bottle.

It is said to have a “big, mitey character at the front followed by biscuity, bready notes” and tastes like “buttery, almost warm, crisp-edged toast with that umami-rich, savoury mite flavour”.

ArchieMite went on sale yesterday (8 May) and recommending servings include the Bloody Mary where it replaces the vodka to create a “umami-rich serve”, and a take on the Espresso Martini where the ArchieMite is said to increase the “rich and bitter espresso” notes.

In May last year, Archie Rose began building a second distillery located 4km south of its first Rosebery distillery in New South Wales. The new site in Botany includes a new bond store for its existing whisky stock to better monitor maturation and provides additional capacity for gin, vodka and whisky production.

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