Storytellers Distillery has always leaned into narrative. But few chapters have unfolded quite as excitingly as this one.
When the distillery’s Brompton cellar door, Long Story Short, opened in 2021, it quietly cemented Storytellers as one of Adelaide’s most thoughtful small-batch spirits producers. Then came the cliff-hanger. In late 2023, a fire on a neighbouring property tore through the site, destroying the space and abruptly severing the brand’s physical home.
Now, the story resumes – this time in McLaren Vale – with a new tasting room and gin bar housed inside the McLaren Vale Visitor Centre, and led by one of the most respected figures in Australian hospitality.
“Ever since we lost [Long Story Short] we have been looking for a new place to call home, allowing us the ability to interact with those that matter, the people that drink Storytellers Gins,” says General Manager Stuart “Chewy” Morrow.
The new space is built around that idea of interaction and goes well beyond a standard tasting. Visitors can book gin flights, botanical tours and gin blending classes alongside an extensive drinks menu and what Chewy calls a “world-class cocktail offering,” shaped by both his and founder and head distiller Lachie Gunner’s hospitality backgrounds.
The drinks list shifts with the seasons and leans into the Fleurieu surrounds. Alongside house staples, the bar is already pouring serves like the Sugar Baby – “a frozen serve that blends a watermelon and mint sorbet with our Australian Dry Gin” – and Peaches and Cream, “a milk washed cocktail that combines peach cordial with our Storytellers Gin.”
There’s experimentation happening behind the scenes too, including “a bottle fermented Fig Leaf Collins that utilises a method traditionally used to make sparkling wine and applies it to a group serve cocktail format.”
Those wanting to keep things classic can opt for a gin and tonic flight. Others can take a more hands-on route with “Write Your Own Story”, “a guided experience that allows guests to try our gins with any combination of mixer and garnish that they choose,” Chewy explains.
Beyond the core gins, the bar will also be pouring from Storytellers’ extended lineup, including Strawberry, Pink Peppercorn and Dulce de Leche Negronis, Grenache Sour Gin, and future cellar-door exclusives focused on site-sourced botanicals.
Food is designed to follow the same local-first philosophy. A casual antipasto-style offering is rolling out, built around regional cheese and meat producers, and designed to be shared, whether paired with a tasting flight or enjoyed picnic-style on the lawns.
Storytellers’ new home in the Visitor Centre is an unexpected – but favourable – plot twist. A sharp contrast from Brompton’s industrial backstreets and the original 10-seat countertop.
“The space is stunning, set amongst a backdrop of grape vines and native fauna… whether it’s a spot on the lawns, inside the air conditioned visitor centre, under the marquee, or within the numerous gardens.”
And that flexibility shapes the crowd Storytellers hopes to attract.
“We hope to offer a space that is equally suited to group bookings, as it is to the curious passer-by,” Chewy says. “We intend to take full advantage of the stunning lawns… for anyone just wanting to enjoy a cocktail underneath the South Australian sun.”
For Chewy – whose career includes leading Sydney’s iconic Baxter Inn, ranked #6 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list – returning to McLaren Vale was a coming-home moment. With its producer-driven culture and proximity to growers, the region was always the preferred place to write the next chapter.
“With both myself and Lachie coming from a hospitality background, it was important to us that we have a cellar door where we could showcase Storytellers in creative and unique cocktails and serves,” he says.
“Having spent a lot of time in McLaren Vale previously, it almost feels like I’ve come full circle by bringing Storytellers Distillery to the Vale. Along with a rich history in wine production, the Fleurieu region has some of the best producers of all sorts of produce in the country. We can’t wait to fully entrench ourselves in the local community.”
That connection is already in the glass. Local strawberries from Myponga now feature in Storytellers’ Tickled Pink Strawberry Gin, with further region-led releases in the pipeline.
“We really wanted to offer something complimentary, yet different to the vast array of wineries in the area,” Chewy says. “We really want to offer a space for guests to come and taste and explore the region.”
After a rough middle and an abrupt interruption, Storytellers Distillery has turned the page. A new tasting room, wide open lawns, a reason to head south, and the space to let the next chapter unfold.
“We’re set up with experiences that allow for storytelling — both through the liquid we pour and through the presentation of those experiences,” Chewy says. “We want to build a strong connection with the region and not just tell our stories, but the stories of the people and place around us.”
Storytellers Distillery cellar door and gin bar
Where: McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Coast Visitor Centre, 796 Main Rd, McLaren Vale
When: Mon to Fri 11am-4:30pm, weekends 10am-3:30pm
For more info, click here.
