Indholdsfortegnelse for Sep/Nov 2019 i Gin Magazine

As a Briton, it’s with a measure of pride that we can talk about gin as a national treasure. The term ‘London Dry’ might confuse the life out of most people when you really break it down, but it does allow us to puff-out the chest a bit in the knowledge that something so synonymous with Britain is being enjoyed all across the globe. At the moment, we have the monopoly on gin and I’m hard-pressed to think of much else that we export with any real sense of joy. However, and without painting a target on my back, I’m not usually one for too much national pride. To be honest, I’m pretty excited about the challenge British gin brands are going to be (or already are) getting from others…

That Boutique-y Gin Company has worked in collaboration with Mason’s Yorkshire Gin to create Smouldering Heights – a new addition to the Boutique-y Gin portfolio. A gin with an unusual flavour profile, Smouldering Heights delivers floral and fruity notes and a smoke derived from peated malt included in the botanical mix. When the idea for the gin first came about, the smoky flavour and fire-y label was inspired by the annual act of heather burning on the Yorkshire Moors, which happens every year to encourage new growth. However, the theme took on an ironic significance a few months ago when a fire took hold at the Masons Distillery, destroying a still and temporarily halting their production. Thankfully nobody was hurt in the blaze and production at Mason’s has resumed thanks…

Tweet us @ginmagazineuk or email editor@paragraph.co.uk for a chance to feature What is the most unusual botanical you’ve heard of? SAL, BATH If you’d asked me 10 or fifteen years ago, it would have been something like pink grapefruit or cucumber, but since then the world of botanicals has expanded. I’ve seen gins that have used butter or cream, meat and even ants. Some botanicals have been sent up into near-space before being distilled and moon rock has been used as well. However, I would say that the trophy for most unusual botanical must go to one used in the South African gin, Indlovu – elephant dung. Yes, elephant dung. Or, more precisely, botanicals that have been eaten by elephants and then collected from elephant dung. Elephants digest relatively little…

Adventurous Salcombe Gin, has released ‘Rosé Sainte Marie’, a new Mediterranean inspired gin. This dry rosé gin is being positioned alongside its flagship multi award-winning London Dry Gin ‘Start Point’. Named after the iconic ‘Sainte Marie’ lighthouse which marks the Southern entrance to the Old Port of Marseille, from where 19th century Salcombe Fruit Schooners would load citrus fruits and herbs bound for England’s ports. ‘Rosé Sainte Marie’ is inspired by the aromas, flavours and lifestyle of the South of France and is a celebration of adventure, colour, freshness and joy; capturing the vibrant spirit of the Mediterranean coast. Angus Lugsdin, co-founder of Salcombe Distilling Co, comments: “We’re extremely excited to launch this exceptional gin, our second commercial release, exactly three years after the launch of ‘Start Point’. With so…

The Craft Distilling Expo returns for its seventh year at the Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane, London. A great destination for distillers, those looking to open a distillery, or those with a technical interest in spirits. The event provides an exciting series of talks (many on gin) from industry leaders and a chance to speak to distillery vendors: from still manufacturers to botanicals suppliers. On Tuesday 24 September, the Craft Distilling Expo is hosting a one-day ‘How to Make Gin Workshop’ at East London Liquor Company. For further details, visit www.distillingexpo.com…

As we all know well, when it comes to gin, it’s not just about the juniper these days. Whether it’s fruity, citrus or pink, flavoured gins have become the new normal for consumers – but, as the following curious gins demonstrate, there’s still an appetite for less familiar gins. From gins made with familiar ingredients such as tea and hops, to less familiar (and desirable?) ingredients such as ants and elephant dung, we reveal a treasure chest of tipples from around the world that are guaranteed to test your palate and tickle your taste buds. Enjoy! HUSSINGTREE ASPARAGUS GIN Launched spring 2018, family business Hussingtree takes inspiration from the produce grown locally in their home county of Worcestershire, including a particular verdant green veg we wouldn’t usually associate with gin.…

Being fluent in gin talk means using the lexicon: steeping, vapour infusion and GNS (grain neutral spirit) are staples. Two other key terms are ‘single-shot’ (also expressed as ‘one-shot’) and ‘multi-shot’, as they define different approaches to producing gin. Single-shot means that once the botanicals have been distilled, the resulting spirit is diluted with water, in order to reach the alcoholic strength required for bottling. And that’s it. Bottles are ready to make their way into the outside world. The multi-shot method utilises a greater quantity of botanicals than single-shot, in order to produce spirit with a more concentrated flavour (which explains why it’s referred to as ‘concentrate’ in the industry). Once distilled the concentrate is diluted twice. The first dilution is with spirit, invariably the same spirit used for…

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One of the fun things about writing a column like this is the ability to keep an eye on current and future trends. Since the last edition, there has been one area of gin that seems to have been turbo-charged with a multitude of new products being released and a great general buzz – or should that be fizz? I speak, of course, of the pre-mixed or ready-to-drink (RTD) gin and tonic. Canned cocktails have been around since at least the 1970s, but in those days the cans were smaller, heavier, harder to open and drinkers had to be careful to avoid the sharp edges of the cans. In the following decades, the offering was sparse and the quality left many unsatisfied, leaving many drinkers asking, “How can it be…

Speyside’s all about whisky right? There are a few people who might disagree with that notion and the Scottish region’s latest distillery hopes to put its organic gin and vodka firmly among the local whisky pigeons. Glenrinnes Distillery is the newest producer in the region and is looking to offer spirits lovers something different. Founder, Alex Christou, says, “Growing up in the Speyside area, surrounded by some of the best loved whisky brands in the world, it never really interested us to try and compete with them and with their heritage. Instead, we wanted to complement the local distilling scene with something new.” Alex founded his distillery right at the foot of Ben Rinnes mountain and the gin and vodka is under the brand name Eight Lands – so called…

There are nearly 400,000 species of plants. According to the Royal Botanic Gardens, on average about 2,000 new species are discovered each year. Furthermore, many of these newly discovered plants have food, drink and medicinal potential. The global gin community hasn’t even come close to exhausting the diverse range of plants that are suitable for use in gin. Most gins currently on the market use a narrow range of botanicals; coriander, angelica, liquorice, citrus fruit and orris root to name a few. These botanicals mostly represent what would have been readily available on the Western European market in the mid-18th century. Today, gin is more global than it ever has been. It is being distilled and produced on six continents. Many of these distillers are using local, native and indigenous…

After a long, cold winter and a slow start to the summer; the warmer days are now upon us. The sultry heat lures us out to bask and play in the sizzling sun. Whatever we’re doing, be it a trip somewhere, a festival or a picnic in the local park, gin is in and there are more and more ways of enjoying it outside and on the move. The boom in RTDs (ready-to-drinks) over the last couple of years is gaining a fierce momentum and there are now plenty of options for the easy and practical choice, even if in some instances it’s a little expensive. The pros are certainly the practicality, shoving a few cans into a cold pack is a cinch, right? The cons are the cost and…

Sponsored by Master of Malt Taster biographies Sam Coyne Sam is editor of Gin Magazine, Travelux, Rum and The Drinks Report. When not writing and tasting spirits, Sam finds balance by racing competitively. He has led masterclasses on spirits too and is increasingly learning to mix cocktails at home and for his long suffering colleagues. David T Smith David T Smith is an independent spirits writer and consultant who specialises in gin. He is a chair judge for a number of spirits competitions and has written widely on the subject, incuding The Craft of Gin, Forgotten Spirits and Long Lost Liqueurs and Gin Tonica. He was winner of the 2016 Gin Communicator of the Year award. THE PROCESS • All samples are blind tasted, with ABV and style the only information…