A collaboration between Malta, Corsica, France and Sydney has resulted in two pioneering drinks. One is already available in Malta and the other, the world’s first pure fig liqueur, will hopefully be on its way soon.
A fig tree in a garden in Siġġiewi planted the seed for Australian company Think Spirits’ Esprit de Figues French luxury liqueur, which is made in Burgundy, and Pampelle, a pioneering ruby red grapefruit aperitif, made in Jarnac in the Charente region. Both are the brainchildren of an Australian with strong Maltese roots.
Patrick Borg, at the age of four, with his father and grandfather in Malta in September 1980.Ten years ago, entrepreneur Patrick Borg took a clipping from the fig tree in his mother’s garden in The Ponds, Sydney, and grew one in his house in Oakville, also in Sydney. His mother’s tree had been grown from a cutting she had brought to Australia from Malta. It reminded her of home.
Although born in Australia, Borg lived in Malta from the age of three to six and attended the kindergarten at Siġġiewi primary school.
“Nanna was from Siġġiewi and nannu from Sliema. Mum’s dad was head chef at the Phoenicia Hotel and dad’s dad was a grower and sold fruit and vegetables in Ħamrun. My father worked in the local quarry. My mother looked after five children and had a cleaning job,” he says.
The family moved to Australia in 1982 but Borg, now 44, still owns an apartment in Siġġiewi, the home of the grandmother fig tree.
Established in 2016, Think Brands is a wholly-owned private company launched by Borg to create independent liquor brands. Formerly, he worked as a marketing manager, launching Jägermeister, Grey Goose and Midori RTDs (Ready To Drinks) in Australia.
Recognising a global trend towards a cocktail culture and a more refined palette − a global trend that had not reached Australia then− in 2004, Patrick started Think Spirits, which developed into the largest independent distribution company in Australia, managing and launching brands such as Cuervo, Kraken, Malfy and Casamigos.
Think Brands was launched by Borg to create independent liquor brands
In 2018, the company was sold to the Amber Beverage Group, but CEO Borg continued to manage Think Spirits.
The whole family now lives in New South Wales. His parents Emmanuel (78) and Mary (formerly Camenzuli, 74) are now retired. His brothers Nicolas is a joiner, Martin a handyman and Stephen, a panel beater. Sister Charmaine is an HR manager.
“All our cousins still live in Malta though!,” Borg says.
His award-winning Pampelle was launched globally in 2018, after early market testing in the UK and Australia. It is now sold in 22 markets.
Pampelle is made with hand-picked Corsican grapefruit (120,000 are harvested every year, one-and-a-half grapefruits are needed for one bottle), yuzu, cederat (French citrus fruit) and bigarade (bitter oranges from Haiti), as well as eau de vie and gentian bitters. The peels are macerated in copper stills and the drink is naturally low in sugar. A grapefruit tree in his parents’ garden inspired the drink just like the fig tree with Borg’s liqueur.
Distributed by Red October, Pampelle is available in Malta but the more niche Esprit des Figues, made with violette des Bordeaux figs, isn’t yet.
“But we are working on it,” Borg, who likes to visit his ancestral homeland once a year, says.
He longs for COVID travel restrictions to be over soon. He is having withdrawal symptoms.
“I love Kinnie! With a slice of lemon and a packet of Twistees.”