When The Thirsty Travellers heard an Aussie liqueur called Moreau Apple Pie Liqueur had won a Gold Medal at the London Spirits Competition, our curiosity was piqued.

The contest assesses spirits not only on taste and quality, but also on packaging and value, with experts having consumer trends and preferences in mind. Moreau received the fifth-highest score, out of a total of 749 medals awarded and was the only Australian liqueur to receive a Gold.  

Apple pie liqueur sounded absolutely delicious, so we were thrilled when its creator, Mobius Distilling Co, sent us a sample … together with a very handy bottle of gin-scented hand sanitiser.

Mobius is based in Sydney’s Inner West and was founded by friends Philip Crossley and Alex Hardie, who also craft spirits including ‘2204 Marrickville Dry Gin’ and ‘38 Special’ vodka.

Moreau Apple Pie Liqueur’s name originates from the fantastical world of Dr Moreau, the mad scientist character in the H G Wells novel, reflecting the experimental nature of the spirit. 

The liqueur is made from apples sourced from the family-owned Bellevue Orchard in Victoria. Each 700ml bottle containing pressed cold juice from 12 apples, all preservative and concentrate-free. Other ingredients included Tongan vanilla and cinnamon. 

Crossley (above) spent more than three years perfecting the recipe for the spirit, which tastes divine on its own or can be used as a base for cocktails. 

The Thirsty Travellers tried it with ginger ale, which was a refreshing combination. But we feel it really shines when it’s simply served neat as an after-dinner treat. It has a luscious apple flavour and is less cloying than a dessert wine, which appealed to both our palates. We’re wondering how it would go drizzled over vanilla ice cream … that’s our next taste test …

Moreau Apple Pie Liqueur is priced at $75. Click here to find out more