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Little Lon Distillery shares its big history
In a tiny brick cottage, Little Lon distils its unique gins, weaving Melbourne's rich past into each bottle.
Melbourne's central business district is a bustling hub of activity, but tucked away within it is a small red brick cottage - the last of its kind. We sat down with Linden, the venue manager, brand ambassador, and Business Operations Manager at Little Lon, to delve deeper into the magic behind the distillery.
How did you come to be part of Little Lon?
My name is Linden, and I've been with Little Lon for about three years. I started as the venue manager after meeting the owner while managing a wine bar in Ballarat. Our distillery is situated in a quaint red brick cottage - the last remaining single-storey cottage in the CBD. Within this tight space, we have a cocktail bar, a distillery, and a storeroom. Despite its size, all the products we sell throughout Melbourne are crafted here.
Where does the name Little Lon come from?
Little Lon is a nod to Melbourne's old red-light district. The cottage where we distil was part of that district, having been a brothel in the early 1900s and later a sly grog shop. All our gins pay tribute to this history, with names inspired by characters from that era. Our aim is to keep Melbourne's history alive.
"Within this tight space, we have a cocktail bar, a distillery, and a storeroom. Despite its size, all the products we sell throughout Melbourne are crafted here."
Among the many stories, there's a gin named after Miss Yoko. Who was she?
Miss Yoko, whose real name was Tok Moy Yune, was a remarkable Chinese woman who settled in Melbourne. Starting with nothing, she was a sex worker and then an incredibly successful property mogul. She also ran a brothel out of our current distillery location from 1915 to 1923. We wanted to honour her legacy and share her fascinating story.
With the variety of gins you produce, is there a starting point you'd recommend for newcomers?
We pride ourselves on offering unique gins, each representing a distinct style. I suggest newcomers experience a master class. It's an opportunity to taste all our core gins and learn about their history. Personally, our Miss Yoko is quite popular, but the best way is to taste them and see which resonates with you.
What's next on the horizon for Little Lon?
We're excited about releasing a whiskey, the first to be made and aged in Melbourne's CBD in decades. It's been maturing in cell 13 of the Old Melbourne Jail. Beyond that, we're exploring the idea of opening another venue, offering another unique cellar door experience, set in a building with historical significance.
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