Feels Botanical

Over lunch in 2019, we were reflecting on our futures and realised we were both at somewhat of a pivotal point in our lives. Seeking greater meaning and purpose and with a greater priority on family and a connection with nature, we set out to create something real, something authentic and with purpose. We explored the idea of a new alcohol brand that approached consumption differently, that was creative and true and that paid respect to Australia’s natural bounty and its rich history. We embarked on what ultimately became many years of research, trial and development. Researching centuries-old Apothecary tradition, studying the process of combining alcohol with natural ingredients to deliver therapeutic benefits, dating back to 2600BC. Researching native, unique and widely unknown Australian botanicals, the question soon became - "what if we combined more obscure, native Australian botanicals with alcohol?" It was definitely ambitious, a touch "weird scientist", but we committed ourselves to challenge the orthodoxy. In order to start however, we needed an alcohol. Eau de vie - French for 'water of life'. Considering the abundance of world-renowned grapes on our doorstep in Australia, we began exploring the process of distilling grapes to create alcohol, an art known as “Eau de vie” (known as “water of life” in France) that dated back centuries. France is revered as it’s birthplace, but Eau de vie also stems from Southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Northern Italy. After the very first taste, we realised eau de vie – with superior taste, velvety mouthfeel and unrivalled quality – was the finest base for our spirit. The resulting process, that of distilling Australian Eau De Vie with sustainably sourced, native Australian botanicals, became what we proudly hand bottle today: Feels.