Rose Kentish is a drinks polymath. Beyond her titles of winemaker, brewer, distiller and perfumer, she’s a devoted creator, artisan and crafter, a storyteller through scent and flavour. A timeline gives us a sense of her trajectory; from winemaking through to brewing, distilling, and creating perfume.
The key thing to her resume is that each new pursuit has deepened her understanding of aroma, texture and flavour, and, by her explanation, how to connect more deeply to the world through our senses. Whether Rose is crafting wine, whisky or perfume, her process is guided by a precise, intuitive relationship with ingredients, landscape and experience.
Of her most recent forays into distilling, under her Full Circle Spirits label (launched in 2020), she says, “I always focus on aroma and texture. I use techniques from winemaking and perfumery that encourage scent to float out of the glass – to draw you in and slow you down. If you’re smelling, sipping, and thinking about each stage, you give yourself time to access the beauty in that moment.”
Full Circle Spirits is a name that reflects not just the arc of her career, but her cyclical, seasonal, place-based approach to creation. Her first whisky, With Grace, was released in late 2024 after four years of meticulous development. As with all her spirits, it carries not just character, but clarity – there’s something here that’s distinct from the more robust, powerful releases that come from a more traditional focus.
Alongside the ‘new whisky’, Rose has been releasing compelling spirits that expand existing categories while also branching out into new realms of distilled product. From her Adelaide Hills base, Rose sources fresh botanicals from local gardens and producers. She also forages, building each product from what grows naturally and abundantly within a season. The result is a range that feels vibrant, alive, and deeply rooted in the Southern Australian landscape.
“Fresh botanicals vary hugely depending on the variety, the season, and the way they’re grown,” she says. “That makes it harder to create repeatable products. But repeatable excellence – that’s a challenge I love leaning into. I feel certain the vibrancy and freshness of oils picked and used immediately let me create a more ‘alive’ and contemporary product.”
Her approach is far from formulaic. In fact, it begins with a question: How will this be enjoyed? “I always think about the ‘signature serve’ first,” she explains. “Is it going to be best in a martini? In a spritz? Over ice after dinner? Then I write detailed aroma and flavour notes before I begin making. That gives me the goalposts. It lets me know where I’m heading.”
Rose’s use of native ingredients is carefully considered. Rather than leaning heavily on bush foods for novelty’s sake, she focuses on what grows naturally in her environment. “I use Mediterranean botanicals because they thrive in Southern Australia,” she explains. “Occasionally I’ll use native fruits – like in our Red Amaro, where blood plums, Ooray plums, hibiscus, and rosella flowers work together to create something more powerful and complex.”
In parallel to her spirits work, Rose studied perfumery at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery in France in 2020 and now creates bespoke perfumes for select clients. She sees no separation between this and her beverage work – just a different articulation of the same language of aroma.
Together with Sam, her husband, she also runs a regenerative farm on Kangaroo Island. It’s another expression of the Full Circle ethos: rooted in sustainability, in giving back, in living slowly and with intention.
“Our mission is simple,” she says. “To make delicious, handcrafted spirits with locally sourced botanicals, using mastery, care and love. I want to bring love and beauty to the glass.”
And she does – whether it’s wine, whisky, gin or perfume. In a world of rushed experiences and mass production, Rose Kentish’s work is a reminder of the power of patience, provenance and originality.
Three Full Circle Spirits to try:
Full Circle Spirits Chinotto Gin Liqueur, $49
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