Cocktails with… Whittaker’s Gin

Today’s review has a special focus on one distillery: Harrogate Distillery and their award-winning gin brand, Whittaker’s. The distillery was started by Jane and Toby Whittaker in 2015 and is based in Nidderdale, Yorkshire. Whilst only two years old, the distillery has already released an exciting selection of gins.

Whittaker’s Original (42.0% ABV)

A classic and smooth gin made with neutral grain spirit and a botanical mix that includes:

Juniper
Coriander
Angelica
Lemon
Hawthorne Berries
Bilberries
Bog Myrtle
Garden Thyme

On its own
Nose: An intense, botanical nose that bursts forth from the glass. There is a vibrant mix of juniper and pine notes, from juicy berries and crisp pine needles to fragrant notes of blossom.
Taste: This gin has a lovely, dry flavour with just a touch of sweetness at the end. It has an excellent texture: very smooth with minimal heat – just enough to to add boldness to the flavour profile. Rich and complex juniper notes are complemented by citrus, warm spice, and then fruity berry notes that add both that slight sweetness and also a little tartness and zing. The finish is long and lingering. All-in-all, this is a classic gin that has its own distinguishing flair – delicious!

Gin & Tonic
Beautiful resinous juniper upfront, adding a bright “sparkle” to this drink from the start. A little citrus follows, then the fruity notes of dried berries. A balanced and exceptionally refreshing drink.

Martini
This Martini is wonderfully bright, with beautiful pine and juniper notes – crisp and fragrant – that make the cocktail really sing. Dryer flavours follow, working well alongside the powerful juniper, before a touch of more fruity notes on the finish.

Negroni
Exceptionally smooth. Again, beautifully rich juniper notes come through, bringing with them hints of citrus and coriander. These are followed by a fruity tartness from the berries, which makes this an unusual Negroni, but are also a fantastic addition. Finishing up, this cocktail keeps its classic, mellow bittersweetness.

Whittakers Navy Strength (57.0% ABV)

A higher ABV version of their original gin with the same botanical mix, but a slight adjustment of the botanical balance.

On its own
Nose: Earthy, with a light, sweet florality.
Taste: Very resinous: the juniper absolutely bursts through in this gin, which helps to give you a full appreciation of the berry: from its lighter, floral notes all the way through to deep, soapy cedar.

With Fever-Tree Tonic
A particularly herbal Gin & Tonic with bready notes before a biscuity spice and hints of coriander. Jammy berry notes then develop, before a dry finish that makes this a bold and yet thoroughly refreshing drink.

Martini
Bold and very zesty, with bright, deep, and resinous notes of cedar and juniper. The floral finish is long and lingering, neatly balancing and complementing that juniper. This is a powerful example of a classic Gin Martini; one that should be served very cold and, because of its great sippability, enjoyed sparingly.

Negroni
A citrus and coriander-forward Negroni with a great level of zestiness. This has a perfect intensity of flavour and would make a good aperitif.

Whittaker’s Clearly Sloe

A modern take on the sloe gin. Sloe berries are infused or macerated in the Whittaker’s Original Gin for six months, before the liquid is redistilled with a little liquorice. The resultant gin retains much of the character of the sloes, but none of the colour. Unlike most sloe gins, it is unsweetened.

On its own
Nose: A fantastic nose full of the rich, slightly tart notes of the sloe berry coming through, along with more jammy berry notes and an aromatic nuttiness.
Taste: Sloe berry comes through again on the palate, along with deep, resinous juniper notes. A little sweetness from the fruit followed, accompanied by a touch of marzipan. This is an absolutely superb spirit and a great example of a distilled sloe gin.

With Fever-Tree Tonic
The sloe berry flavours shine through: sweet and jammy with just a little tartness, followed by light, floral almond flavours and a fresh, citrus finish.

Martini
This is a superb cocktail that tastes just like an extra dry sloe gin: bold and resinous juniper to start, which develops into the bright stone fruit flavours of the berries. Delicious!

Negroni
The sloe berries really shine through in this cocktail – there is a lovely combination of the dry fruitiness and sweet almond & marzipan, all with a restrained bitterness. This is a totally different take on the Negroni, but a fantastic one.

In Conclusion

Whittaker’s have crafted a superb selection of gins with significant range, whilst keeping an apparent house-style. The imaginations of Toby and Jane really come through in their products and, whilst I enjoy all of the spirits, I always find myself drawn back to their original London Dry Gin.

If you want to try the full range, including their contemporary Pink Particular Gin, I can heartily recommend the gift pack of four 20cl bottles available on their website:
https://www.whittakersgin.com/shop/product/36378/Whittaker039-s-Gin-4-x-20cl-Gift-Pack/

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Cocktails with… 6 O’Clock – Brunel Edition

As a longtime resident of Portsmouth I’ve always had an affinity with Isambard Kingdom Brunel, perhaps Britain’s greatest engineer. Brunel is also of great importance to the city of Bristol, where the SS Great Britain and the Brunel Museum are both located.

Today, I’m looking at a gin inspired by Brunel: 6 O’Clock Brunel Edition. Additionally, for every bottle sold, £1 will be donated to the SS Great Britain Trust’s new museum ‘Being Brunel’ which opens in 2018.

The gin, bottled at 50.0% ABV, is made using the original 6 O’Clock Gin as a base and adds more juniper and six new botanicals:
Lemon
Cardamom
Nutmeg
Cumin
Cassia bark
Cubeb

On its own
Nose: Exotic spice, anise, caraway and cumin with a touch of ginger.
Taste: Surprisingly smooth for 50% ABV, with a light, sweet spiciness upfront that gradually makes way for notes of vanilla and lemon. Smooth and clean, there’s also a touch of juniper jelly and coriander before a final burst of black menthol pepper with a little lingering, green pine.

Gin Tonic
This makes a rather spicy Gin Tonic with plenty of cinnamon and ginger notes, making it somewhat reminiscent of a spiced sponge. Juicy fruit notes follow, with a little citrus peel before some cumin and a hint of dark chocolate. Overall, this is a dry, refreshing drink with wonderful notes of intercontinental spice.

Martini
The rich spiciness comes through well in this cocktail: there’s a little dry cinnamon followed by more savoury notes of cumin and ginger with just a touch of turmeric. Sweet citrus and cardamom notes then develop, before a slightly earthy finish.

Martini-on-the-Rocks
Given the slightly higher ABV of this gin, some drinkers may prefer the slightly more dilute Martini-on-the-Rocks. Fill a tumbler to the top with ice, add 35ml of gin and 10ml dry vermouth and garnish with an olive or lemon peel.

The herbal and spiced notes of this gin work really well with the slightly wetter drink and, in comparison to the Martini, more of the vermouth comes through, too.

Negroni
A bold and “crunchy” Negroni with bright notes of fresh celery stalks accompanied by the spices found in the other drinks. The finish is earthy and slightly resinous and really lingers on the tongue.

With Cola
The gin adds a savoury spiciness to this serve, with notes of paprika, turmeric and ginger. Mixed with the cola, the gin also provides a hint of chocolate, but – overall – the drink is not overly sweet and has a pleasant, fiery, dry spice to it.

In Conclusion
6 O’Clock Gin: Brunel Edition is a bold gin that is great for mixing; the additional botanicals make this a great twist on what was already a lovely gin. My favourite drink was the Gin Tonic.

6 O’Clock Brunel edition is available from their website for £43 for 70cl.

Cocktails with… Peachey’s Norfolk Dry Gin

Cocktails with… Peachey Gin

Peachey Norfolk Dry Gin was created and is produced by Janet Peachey of Peachey’s Spirits. The gin is made in “Lucky”, a 30 litre stainless steel still from America, using a botanical mix of:

Juniper
Coriander
Angelica
Lemon
Sweet Orange
Orris Root
Cardamom
Liquorice
Vanilla

The gin is bottled at 43.0% ABV.

On its own
Nose: Light malt with aromas of coriander and lemon biscuits.
Taste: Ginger and cardamom at the start with a little hint of chocolate; this develops into bright and leafy notes of citrus. This is a complex gin that gradually unfurls on the palate like a flower in sunshine. Pleasantly balanced and lovely to sip on the rocks.

Gin & Tonic
Spicy and aromatic with plenty of coriander, cardamon and ginger. There’s a little sweetness before a zesty finish with a hint of juniper. Succulent and refreshing.

Martini
Citrus rich and leafy notes of lemon balm and lemon thyme are mixed with a little verbena. Then comes a twinkle of warm ginger, accompanied by aromatic cardamom and a little pine mixed with fragrant coriander on the finish.

Gin & Soda
Citrusy with notes of malt hops make this a deep and layered drink. Whilst it might be less piney than your average Gin & Soda, it is nonetheless very refreshing.

Negroni
A bold and punchy Negroni with the gin providing a multilayered array of leafy, herbal, citrus and spiced notes that really hold their own against the Campari. A lingering note of ginger spice is a pleasant addition to the Negroni’s typical earthy bitterness on the finish.

In Conclusion
Peachey Gin is a fresh and aromatic gin, full of pleasant citrus-spice notes. My favourite drink was the Gin Tonic.

http://www.peacheysspirits.com
http://www.facebook.com/Peacheys-Spirits-1398698517120138/

Cocktails with… Sipsmith Lemon Drizzle Gin

Lemon Gin was a regular fixture of the early 19th Century, with Gordon’s and Plymouth both making varieties. These gins were often made via infusion, but fast-forward to the 21st Century and Sipsmith have resurrected the idea with their distilled Lemon Drizzle Gin.

Originally released as a part of their pilot Quarterly Sipping Service (recently more formally launched as the Sipping Society), such was the popularity of the gin, especially with employees of Marks & Spencer, that production was increased and M&S given the product as an exclusive. Here are my thoughts!

On its own

Nose: Zesty citrus oil and a creamy, citrus blossom, plus a little coriander and leafiness.

Taste: A thick texture and slight sweetness, followed by a fine array of citrus notes; a combination of the fruit, leaf, and flower of citrus that combines to give a lemony flavour in 6:1 surround. Like many signature botanical gins, the juniper is paired back, but that, along with angelica and coriander, is evident towards the finish.

Gin Tonic

Bright, clean, crisp citrus notes sing through, making a very refreshing, really delicious drink – a textbook Gin & Tonic.

Martini

Delightful citrus notes, creamy, and delicate; reminiscent of a lemon syllabub, or – indeed – a lemon drizzle cake, with a crisp, dry finish.

Negroni

A cocktail with a strong and balanced flavour with an extra liveliness from the lemon, which is well-integrated and wonderfully smooth.

In Conclusion

Sipsmith Lemon Drizzle is a fun, modern interpretation of the lemon gins of old. The fact that the flavour is 100% distilled is a great improvement in quality compared with those of the 1930s-1940s. If you are near a Marks & Spencer, it is well worth seeking this out. My favourite cocktail was the Gin Tonic.

Sipsmith Lemon Drizzle Gin is available for around £24 for 500ml Exclusively from Marks and Spencer.

Cocktails with… Hernö First Craft Gin

Mrs B and I recently returned from a fantastic trip to Northern Sweden as guests of the lovely folks at Hernö Gin Distillery. Whilst visiting the distillery, Jon shared with us a gin made to this first ever recipe; the balance of botanicals is similar to that of their Artisan Gin with one variation: meadowsweet is replaced with almond.

Meadowsweet Infusion and Dried Meadowsweet at Herno

Although meadowsweet has been used in other gins, such as Hendricks and Caorunn, it wasn’t until visiting the distillery in Dala that I really understood what it adds to a gin. Tasting a maceration of meadowsweet in alcohol, lots of lightly floral hay notes come through; slightly reminiscent of bison grass or holy grass vodka.

That’s probably enough of a focus on a botanical that is not even in this gin! Hernö First Craft’s botanical mix does include: juniper, coriander, lemon, black peppercorns, cassia, vanilla and lingdon berries and is bottled at 40.5% ABV.

The Taste

On its own
Nose: Floral, oily notes with woody juniper and citrus, along with aromatic coriander.
Taste: Quite dry, but with rich citrus, floral, and spice from the coriander that I see as a trademark of Hernö’s gins. There’s also a creamy nuttiness with a hint of chocolate and marzipan. The finish is of light, dry, resinous juniper and a little citrus peel.

Gin & Tonic
Full of flavour, with rounded coriander notes and a slightly bready malt flavour. Then comes citrus and a little berry tartness. Clean and well-integrated.

Martini
A crisp, bright, and juniper-rich, resinous Martini. Clean, like a shard of ice. A pure delight of a drink with a long, dry, spicy finish.

Negroni
A resinous, yet smooth cocktail; a pleasant nuttiness comes through, with an underlying sweetness to it. This has a great texture and a good dose of bitterness on the finish.

In Conclusion
In comparison to their other gins, Hernö 2012 First Craft Gin is dryer in style, but still maintains the distillery’s signature character. Well-worth seeking out. My favourite cocktail was the excellent Martini.

Cocktails with.. Poetic License Picnic Gin – Strawberries & Cream

Summer is here, Wimbledon is around the corner, and when it comes to dessert, minds often turn to that cooling, delicious, and succulent treat – strawberries and cream.

The clever folks at Poetic License (whose other gins did well at last year’s Gin of the Year Competition) have managed to create a gin flavoured with strawberries and cream. Poetic License Picnic Gin is bottled at 37.5% ABV and is made using a mix of traditional botanicals and a blend of real strawberries and cream.

The Taste

On its own
Nose: A clean combination of strawberry and juniper.
Taste: First off, it is great is that this is a dry gin and not sweet at all. There are a range of dry gin flavours – juniper, angelica, and citrus – accompanied by fruity strawberry and creamy vanilla.

Gin & Tonic
Luscious strawberry and cream on the nose, followed by great, jammy strawberry notes on the palate that make this a fruity and delicious drink. The tonic adds a little dryness and lengthens this refreshing summer drink.

Martini
Very dry with some of the more tart notes of the strawberry coming through in particular, as well as woody, earthy spice.

Negroni
The Picnic Gin makes an unusual, but pleasant Negroni, with all of the classic flavours – bittersweet, herbaceous, spicy, and earthy – overlaid with the indulgent jammy flavours of strawberry.

Fruit Cup (30ml Picnic Gin, 15ml Red Vermouth, 10ml Ginger Wine, 100ml Lemonade)
The herbaceous, spicy notes of the other ingredients work well with the fruitiness of this gin. It is certainly a lighter Fruit Cup, but a great way to cool down on balmy afternoons.

With Soda
A lighter way to enjoy the gin, with strawberry notes upfront and a deep, resinous note of cedar-juniper in the background that makes this somewhat reminiscent of a juniper-cask aged gin.

In Conclusion
I think that Poetic License have done a fine job of capturing the bright, berry notes of strawberry in a gin that has great mixing potential. My favourite drink was the Gin & Tonic.

Poetic License Picnic Gin is available for around £33 from Master of Malt.

Cocktails with… Redsmith Gin

One of the really exciting things that has been going on in the UK recently is the return of distilleries to some of those cities in Britain that have not had a new distillery for a century or two. Examples include Bath, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, and Sheffield; all now (or soon will) boast their own distilleries.

Another example is Nottingham, which has also got its own new distillery: Redsmith Distillery in Ruddington, just 5 miles south of the city.

Bottled at 43.0% ABV, the gin is made using a mix of 9 botanicals, including: juniper, coriander, and orange.

On its own
Nose: Bright citrus with some green, leafy herbal notes, plus pine blossom mixed with lavender.
Taste: This has an excellent, luxurious texture with a little sweet spice upfront. Savoury, leafy salad notes are followed by a crescendo of citrus and juniper, along with a long, aromatic finish of pine and just a touch of black pepper.

Gin & Tonic
Wow! Sparklingly bright and invigorating; lovely citrus notes come through, as well as more subtle leafy notes, all before a classic, dry finish.

Martini
Crunchy, leafy notes upfront make this a refreshing cocktail. They are accompanied by floral spiced notes. It is clean and refreshing, with a lovely brightness to it. An excellent pre-dinner cocktail.

Negroni
Another excellent drink: bold, intense, and juicy. The gin comes through well and works well with the drink’s strong, bitter finish. This has great balance – a true classic.

The Sheriff
A variation on the Peter Cushing, this cocktail is a nod to the actor playing the Sheriff of Nottingham in the 1960 film, The Sword of Sherwood Forest.
[50ml Redsmith Gin, 25ml Stone’s Ginger Wine, 5 dashes of Orange Bitters – SHAKE]
Sublime! The bitters and the bright citrus of the gin work superbly well together with some light floral notes that intermingle with the sweet ginger. Spicy and zesty – excellent refreshment.

In Conclusion
Redsmith is a bright and bouncy gin, full of life and delicious, complex flavours, including a mix of citrus and fresh greens. Many a fine drink will be supped with this this summer. My favourites of those that I tried were the Gin Tonic and The Sheriff.

Redsmith Website

Redsmith Twitter – @redsmithdistill

Redsmith Facebook

Dancing Cows Lymington Gin

As a one-time resident of the New Forest National Park, it has often puzzled me that no distillery has opened up shop there in the seven years of the UK’s distilling renaissance. As such, I was very pleased to hear about Dancing Cows Lymington Gin, which is distilled in the Forest town of Lymington.

Bottled at 43.0% ABV, the gin is made using a mix of nine botanicals: juniper, coriander seeds, angelica root, angelica seeds, orris root, bitter orange peel, cardamom, fresh lemon zest and sweet almonds.

After distillation a distillate of hops is added along with a post-distillation infusion of juniper berries, for that extra burst of flavour.

On its own
Nose: Green and herbaceous: mint, rosemary, and some light hop notes.
Taste: Clear citrus notes are followed by light spice, then menthol pepper and piney juniper, all followed by the herbal zest of hops. Complex and engaging.

Gin & Tonic
This is a crisp and dry Gin & Tonic, with bitterness on the finish from a combination of the quinine and the hops. It’s especially good with a lime garnish, although the distillery’s suggestion of a lime and pink peppercorn garnish sounds great and I’ll update this when I’ve tried it.

//- Update! -// Gin Tonica (with lime & pink peppercorns)
Bright and refreshing – the lime adds a pleasant zing, whilst the pink peppercorns complement the hop flavours. Clean, delicious, and a great pre-dinner drink choice.

Martini
This has a lovely complexity to it, with velvety notes of vanilla and spice, then some leafy, herbal notes: coriander and juniper. The finish is dry, but oily in texture.

Negroni
A thick and oily Negroni with a good level of flavour and a strong and long-lasting bitterness. The hops notes from the gin work particularly well with the Campari.

In Conclusion
I enjoyed the complex and intense flavours of Dancing Cows gin and appreciate distiller embracing a variety of technique to create their gin. My favourite drink was the Gin Tonica – superb!

Keep an eye for our review of Dancing Cows aged Gin later this week.

Dancing Cows Gin is available for around £30 for 700ml from Brewers Direct

Cocktails with… Shortcross Clover Gin

One exciting trend developing in the gin industry is the rise of limited edition, seasonal or gypsy (as the Gin Foundry refer to it) gin varieties. This idea has been empowered by the increase in the number of small distilleries who have the flexibility and freedom to take on these small projects.

The craft Gin Club have been one of those leading the charge on this with a few exclusive editions featuring in their monthly gin club.

One of these were Shortcross Clover edition, bottled at 46.0%ABV this is a similar gin to their original release but the botanical balance has been adjusted to emphasise the Wild Clover which is foraged from the distillery estate.

On its own
Nose: Resinous and leafy with some floral citrus notes.
Taste: There is a light sweetness upfront. Notes of cassia and ginger followed by crisp coriander and citrus, and a touch of floral herbaceousness. The finish is crisp and leafy, with note of pine that linger for several minutes.

Gin & Tonic
This drink has the perfect balance of dry, refreshing crispness and sweet complexity. It is a very subtle Gin & Tonic that reveals its layers as you sip. Green, leafy notes make way for some herbal and spice notes, that – combined – remind me of heather. A complex and delicious drink.

Martini
Another delicate, but distinctive drink with a delightfully clean and smooth character, and a discernable, complex spice. Simply great.

Negroni
A super-smooth Negroni: soft and elegant. The clover adds a slight sweetness, but it is subtle; it just takes the edge off of the drink. Sit back, sip, and relax.

Peter Cushing
Soft and lightly sweet to start, the gin’s flavours soon sweep to the fore with floral notes and lemon, followed by more weighty herbal notes and a pleasant, soft rootiness. Juniper comes through strongly afterwards, with warm, but dry ginger notes increasing, especially on the finish.

In Conclusion
I think Shortcross Clover edition is a great example as to how even a tweak to the botanical balance can significantly adjust the flavour profile. Sometimes a little change can be as fascinating as a big one. My favourite drink was the Gin Tonic & The Peter Cushing.

Cocktails with… Conker Spirit Dorset Dry Gin

Living on the south coast, I’m always excited when gins are released in the vague vicinity of SFC HQ, so I’ve followed the story of Dorset Dry Gin, made by Conker Spirit Distillery, with close interest.

Conker Dorset Dry is made using a mix of 10 botanicals; from classics such as juniper, coriander, and cassia, to some locally-sourced botanicals, such as elderberries, samphire, and gorse flowers from Dorset.

Bottled at 40.0% ABV, the gin is made using British wheat spirit and is proofed with New Forest Spring Water. Having lived there for 20 years, the New Forest is certainly a place close to my heart. Without further ado, here are my tasting notes.

The Taste

On its own
Nose: Crisp, luscious leafy notes upfront, followed by a mix of citrus and spice. Light juniper notes then come through, reminiscent of pine needles.
Taste: This has a sublime texture: silky smooth and luxurious. There are light coriander notes to start, accompanied by a little sweet citrus. The flavour then moves onto dry, woody spice and a hint of creamy vanilla, before crisp, green leafy notes and a dry finish.

Gin & Tonic
Excellent – light and smooth, with gentle leafy notes leading onto a little sweet spice, zesty citrus, and then a dry, juniper finish. Smooth, silky, and very easy to drink.

Martini
Thick, rich, and smooth, with notes of nutty, earthy spice, invigorating dry citrus, and a touch of soft, vegetal florality. This is a cocktail with a lovely symphony of flavours – tip top.

Negroni
A complex and jammy Negroni with some nutty, biscuity notes, followed by fresh, green flavours and an indulgent bitter-sweet finish.

In Conclusion
Conker Dorset Dry Gin is a great example of how you can balance terroir with national and international appeal. The gin is bright and tasty enough to appeal to gin drinkers on a global scale, but the notes of elderberries, as well as the leafy herbal notes of gorse and samphire, perfectly captures a flourish of Dorset in the bottle.

My favourite drink was the Gin Tonic but it was close as all drinks were excellent.

Conker Spirit Dorset Dry Gin is available for around £36 for 70cl from Master of Malt

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