Alcohol-free specialists ALTD Spirits has partnered with Indigenous bush food company Kakadu Kitchen to produce a limited-edition Kakadu Native Peach Bellini, which is available in 250ml cans.
The non-alcoholic Bellini features native peach nectar, botanical extracts and a crisp de-alcoholised Australian sparkling wine. The native peaches, or an-marabula, were harvested ethically by Kakadu Kitchen owner and Bininj man Ben Tyler and his extended family at their Murdudjurl community on Murumburr country in the heart of Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory.
The debut run is limited to just 300 cases, with small quantities available at Kakadu’s two premier hotels – Cooinda Lodge and Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel – as well as at specialist retailers including PNV Merchants in Newtown and Paddington (NSW), Porkin in Nightcliff (NT) and via the websites of Kakadu Kitchen and ALTD Spirits.
“Fortunately, the bush around our remote family community at Murdudjurl produces large quantities of an-marabula, so my mum and respected senior Murumburr Elder, Jessie Alderson, her great-grandson Ngarridj (Dave), and I were able to harvest a considerable quantity which I brought to Sydney for the production,” said Kakadu Kitchen owner Ben Tyler.
“Tim Triggs from ALTD and I experimented with a range of recipes before coming up with the final version, and I really think it makes the most of the native ingredient, an-marabula. This was the first commercial production of Kakadu native peaches, so we had to work out the best way of using such an exotic bush food while creating a Bellini-style drink.
“Unlike most peaches, the an-marabula is not very fruity, rather it is earthy in taste with distinct botanical tones. Almost bittersweet.
“We created an extract from the Kakadu native peaches to capture the unique flavour and then combined it with peach and vanilla flavours to create a really distinctive, native and refreshing Bellini.
“It really is a ‘taste of Kakadu’ – wild, aromatic and a beautiful mouth feel.
“Importantly, the production and ingredients are totally in line with our sustainable principles. That’s how my family have lived in Kakadu for generations, and I wanted to bring that heritage to this product.”
his non-alcoholic Bellini is an ideal summer drink, with low sugar, all natural ingredients, gluten free and vegan friendly, with Triggs and Tyler already working on a new drink for next year, featuring a smoked bush white apple with native spices.