Page 51 - Tropic Magazine Issue 36

TROPIC • SPIRITS

Marks’ top five
cocktail essentials
Agave syrup
Lime
Grapefruit bitters
Strainer
Mexican arm

House of Commons

Hidden behind the curtain at the back of the Esplanade’s Bavarian
Beerhouse, House of Commons is made for lovers of all things boozy.
The bar features a wide range of premium international and Australian
spirits, all carefully chosen by Mark and his team. In an intimate, moody
setting reminiscent of the 1920s prohibition era, the focus really is on
creative, handcrafted cocktails and world-class drinks you won’t find
elsewhere in Cairns. It opened late last year with Mt. Uncle Distillery
and Coral Sea Brewing Co at the helm.

Mt Uncle Distillery
A pioneer in the region’s now thriving brands of rum, gin, whisky, vodka
spirit scene, Mt Uncle is the longest and liqueurs, while its recent focus
running distillery in Far North has been the Dirt Road agave spirits.
Queensland, born in 2001. But head With an emphasis on native
distiller Mark Watkins’ love affair with botanicals, local flavours,
spirits dates back to his teens, where and quintessentially Australian
he secretly dabbled in distilling in a characters – its Bushfire Smoked
cubby house on his family’s property. Gin just one example – Mt Uncle has
After some wine science studies, built an unrivalled reputation as a
Mark returned to his small hometown premium distillery. Its brands include
of Walkamin to establish Mt Uncle. FNQ Rum Co, Botanic Australis Gin,
A decade on, the distillery has taken Watkins Whisky Co, Anjea Vodka, Mark Watkins
home global gongs under its several Sexy Cat Liqueur and Dirt Road. MORE: mtuncle.com

51 • tropicnow.com.au