Made on the banks of Lough Erne, outside Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, Boatyard Double Gin is being produced from grain to glass at their facility.

They distil elements of their own base spirit on site. Using Organic floor malted wheat and champagne yeast, they create a spirit at 96%abv which when diluted stills retains the weight and breadiness of the yeast. While distilling this base spirit, juniper is introduced, giving it it's first hint of flavour, showcasing that this spirit will only be intended to make gin.

It gains it's 'Double' Gin status, as of course Juniper is added again during the infusion of the botanicals, which are left to macerate for 18 hours.

From county Fermanagh comes this great tasting gin that has been distilled in both pot and column stills. The juniper berries are treated in special process borrowed from the Dutch in which double contact with the spirit is achieved hence the term 'double gin'. This is a classic dry style gin with plenty of bite form the juniper as well as some well-balanced touches of coriander, citrus and licorice.

The resulting product has a classic juniper driven first release of flavour, intertwined with citrus fruits, and warm liquorice spices. An outstanding addition to the Irish Gin scene.

Produced: Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh ABV: 46% Price: €8.00

Belvedere, which means “beautiful to see” is named after the Belweder Palace in Warsaw, which adorns every bottle as a reminder of the brand’s heritage.

The world's first super premium vodka, Belvedere represents the pinnacle of the Polish vodka-making tradition. Distilled exclusively from the finest Dankowskie Gold Rye and quadruple distilled to create the perfect balance of character and purity, Belvedere Vodka is the true expression of luxury vodka. Completely additive-free and diluted with water from Belvedere's own artesian well, this is a vodka that combines over 600 years of vodka producing expertise with an uncompromising commitment to quality and heritage.
Belvedere Vodka is the original and true expression of luxury vodka, created from 600 years of Polish vodka-making tradition. The vodka itself is always authentic, and never artificial. Created exclusively from Polish Dankowskie Rye and quadruple-distilled to create the perfect balance of character and purity; it is completely free of additives, including sugar or glycerin. Dilution with purified water from Belvedere's own artisan wells is essential, enabling the character of the rye to shine. Perfect on the rocks, in a martini or breathing character to any cocktail. Belvedere represents the pinnacle of vodka making tradition. Zero additives, gluten free, naturally smooth.

Produced: Poland NOSE: Faint hint of vanilla along with some gentle, soft cream characteristics. PALATE: Full and round with a medium bodied weight and rich, velvety texture. Some vanilla swaying between sweet and savory with a hint of white pepper and spice. FINISH: Good length with notes of almond, clotted cream and some faint almond and Brazil nut characteristics. ABV: 40% Price: €8.00

42 Below is New Zealand’s entry into the vodka world (the name refers to the latitude of the distillery), a sweetish spirit thrice distilled from “GE Free” wheat and “washed in spring water” until it hits 84 proof, then distilled once more.

The result is a more rustic vodka but one that offers interesting complexity that grows as you sip it. There’s a medium-strength nuttiness here, rare in vodkas, balanced by a nicely sweet aftertaste and a slightly bitter, metallic finish. It is still unmistakably a vodka, but it’s complex in the way that gin can be, with hints of citrus on the palate, too. And yet it’s easy to drink, too. 42 Below is definitely worth a spot in the old liquor cabinet for cocktails or sippin’ as shots.

Country: From New Zeland Produced by 42 below Ltd ABV: 42%  Price: €7.00

Before Don Facundo rewrote the script, white rums were harsh, crude and unrefined. In 1862 he created BACARDÍ Carta Blanca following 10 years of dedication to craft the perfect rum.

Tasting Notes: With distinctive vanilla and almond notes which are developed in white oak barrels and shaped through a secret blend of charcoal for a distinctive smoothness.

Serving Suggestions: The perfect balance of subtle and delicate flavors means it doesn’t dominate like gin or disappear like vodka – making it perfect for mixing classic cocktails like the Mojito and modern masterpieces like the Knight Cup.

Produced:  ABV: 37.5% Price: €5.00

In 1751 Severo Arango y Ferro arrived in Cartagena de Indias to oversee commerce between the American Spanish colonies and Spain. His strength and power earned him the nickname "Dictador" and under his leadership, the city became the most important port for the Spanish Armada. Dictador was partial to the wide variety of Caribbean rums which were traded through the port and over time became a noted trader and producer of exotic, high quality rums. In 1913, almost one hundred eighty years after Dictador arrived in Cartagena de Indias, one of his descendents established Destileria Colombiana. Today, the distillery honors their legacy with their line of Dictador Rum - a combination of high quality aged rum, innovative European design, and state of the art Japanese bottles.

Dictador 12 Year Old Colombian Rum is distilled from light molasses and matured for twelve years in the solera system, allowing it to develop a rich, complex flavor profile. A bold nose of butterscotch, caramel and roasted coffee leads to a round, complex palate offering notes of cocoa, toffee, espresso bean and oak. Hints of candied fruit appear on the long, subtly sweet finish.

Product of Colombia
Alcohol by Volume: 40%

The Still
Our Still was custom made to our bespoke specification by the oldest family of German Still makers, so we like to think of her as something very beautiful and special. We aim to do things a little differently so we have combined the best of old & new technology; with a 450L Copper Pot Still & two Enrichment Columns. Our Enrichment Columns are truly special, with each housing seven individual bubble plates enabling us to set just the right level of reflux when we distil which helps to create a smooth and aromatic spirit.At Rademon Estate Distillery we are proud to be Northern Ireland’s First Award Winning Craft Distillery.

Quantity: Our small batch philosophy ensures that every aspect of our gin meets our exacting vision. Everything is crafted and perfected by hand.

Style: Shortcross Gin was created to be a classical Gin with a unique twist; best described as floral meadows, wild berries and grassy notes. It is highly aromatic with an exceptionally long and smooth finish.

The Gin
We aspired to create something unique that was reminiscent of our surrounding forests and gardens at Rademon Estate. Dense, lush, verdant and alive with nature, it's a playground of botanicals, from which we draw our inspiration for Shortcross Gin. We forage wild clover giving a delicate essence of wild meadows. Elderflowers & elderberries combine to create both uplifting floral notes and smooth sweet flavours, while our local green apples contribute fresh aromas and lively sweet notes. Our final recipe remains close to our heart but we include Juniper, Coriander, Orange and Cassia to which we blend with our very own pure fresh water drawn from our historic estate well.

The Passion
Creating Shortcross Gin has been a true love affair for both of us, we wanted to rekindle a distilling tradition that spans back centuries in Ireland, it has taken time to build and create our distillery, time to travel the world and craft our skills, so when we distil we do so slowly, we hand bottle, wax dip and sign each bottle. The process may be slow but it's a true craft. Each Shortcross bottle is as unique as its new owners. We hope you enjoy Shortcross as much as we love creating it. Fiona & David.

Distillery: Rademon Estate Distillery Northern Ireland’s First Award Winning Craft Distillery. ABV: 44% / Price: €8.00 per measure

Producers: The aim of Glendalough Distillery is to recapture Ireland’s lost heritage of great spirit production and create new, exciting and contemporary brands.The Glendalough range currently includes the following:

Every season working with local forager Geraldine Kavanagh (www.wicklowwildfoods.com) we spend a week in the wilds of the Wicklow country side foraging for the freshest and most interesting local botanicals, berries and fruit.

We then distill small batches of our award winning seasonal Gin in our Holstein copper still.

We never produce more than 3,000 bottles each season so if you have a bottle of Glendalough Seasonal Gin in your hand right now, you are holding something special.

TASTING NOTES: Each season is different, the unpredictable Irish weather resulting in an ever changing array of botanicals, berries and fruit. Each season will bring a different gin with varying taste and style.

Distillary; Glendalough or the Glen of two Lakes, is one of the most beautiful valleys in Ireland. ABV: 44% / Price: €7.00 per measure

Producers: We like to keep it real, which is why early in the morning we switch on the lights, open the post and fire up the still. We make small batch gin the old fashioned way with 100% Irish spirit, real botanicals and lots of care and attention. What is more summery than strawberries? Nothing really, except perhaps sun block. We tried distilling that but it tasted disgusting, so we went back to strawberries. In all, thirteen botanicals are distilled to produce this gin, the largest of these being strawberry, as you might expect.

Ingredients: The berries are grown for us just outside Enniscorthy (Co. Wexford) and transported to the distillery in a large cool box. After distillation, we soak even more strawberries in our gin (that’s how it gets its colour), then we bottle it. We don’t add any sugar or sweetener of any sort.

Nose; Taste; The big thing about Wexford Strawberry Gin, both on the nose and to taste, is that it is gin, not a fruit gin, not a sugary mess, tasty gin. Strawberries are used as a botanical here and are interlaced, delicately appearing and disappearing in a mist of spice and citrus in a perfectly balanced ensemble. The strawberries are prominent on the nose, giving the gin a sweet aroma, but juniper is softly present in the background. To taste, citrus, then strawberries, then juniper and other spice emerge. Fantastic journey, fantastic gin.” – Gin Kiosk UK

Awarded: Gin of the Year 2016 Ireland

Distillery: A MICRO-DISTILLERY BASED IN WEST WATERFORD ON THE BANKS OF THE BLACKWATER RIVER. ABV: 40% / Price: €8.00 per measure

Producers: Mór is an Irish gin that comes from the town of Tullamore.
Ingredients: It contains traditional gin botanicals plus some floral honeysuckle and Slieve Bloom mountain water. Pure. Wild. Local.
Aroma: Eartly root botanicals, subtle florals and vivid fruits come together to create a new breed of Gin.
Taste: The sharp familar taste of Juniper and coriander root meet the sweetness of Raspberry, all lightly graced by the perfumery of angelica, rosemary and fresh water.
Pure in taste and bold in simple flavours. An adventurous spirit, for the adventurous in spirit.
Style: A pure gin is a flavourful gin. That's why we keep our process simple and true to our ingredients' natural flavours.

Process: Every handpicked botanical is selected for a unique reason. Be it flavour or fragrance, it takes care and attention to get the most out of our indigenous ingredients.

Steep
By steeping our botanical mix, we give each one a chance to macerate and release their distinctive flavour into the alcohol.

Infuse
While our botanics steep for a 24 hour period, we give our more refined ingredients a tailored treatment. Floral flavours such as gorse and lavender are delicate in nature and require a gentler approach. We embark on infusion runs, a process whereby our gentler botanicals are placed in a ginning basket that allows the vapours to pass through and flavour the alcohol.

Study
We use natural ingredients and they are rarely uniform. This means we periodically study and assess our blends, checking for flavour strength and consistency as we go. Our steeped botanical blend is then hand-mixed with our infused run results to create the perfect balance. It's a unique way, and one we love, that enables us to truly work with our gin as it comes to life.

Filter
With the mix and balance complete, we lightly filter fresh mountain water from our very own Slieve Bloom peaks through it to add a crisp finish to the gin.

Our Botanicals
Earthy root botanicals, subtle florals and vivid fruits come together to create a new breed of Dry Gin. Juniper Angelica Coriander Rosemary Blackberry Raspberry Cranberry

ABV: 40% Price: €7.00 per measure

Distillery: A new gin from the recently opened Dingle Distillery. They also make a vodka and are distilling whiskey for release in the future.
Style: This is very well made and has a classic London dry gin character.
Ingredients: Distilled in pot stills with a range of botanicals including Rowan Berry, Fuscia, Bog Myrtle, Heather, Chervil and Hawthorn.

Distillery: Dingle ABV: 42.5% Price: €7.00 per measure

Single Estate: Grown, Distilled & Bottled on Highbank Farm, CO. Kilkenny
100% Organic, Certified Organic by The Organic Trust
Serve: Over ice with lemon or tonic and an apple slice
Aroma: Tart apple, juniper, and blackcurrent bud aromas.
Taste: Smooth and refreshing on the palate with a crisp green apple KICK!

Product Description: Crystal Clear Gin with overtones of over 12 organic botanicals. A delicious smooth organic apple gin from Highbank Orchards Single Estate spirit range, 'from the rocks of Kilkenny'. Grown, fermented, Distilled and Bottled with organic botanicals on Highbank Organic Farm.

ABV: 40% | Price: €9.00 per measure

Product: Dublin City Gin launched in January 2016, a gin distilled in small batches with local and exotic botanicals.
Nose: Aromas of lavender, juniper, citrus, black pepper, coriander, mint and vanilla.
Palate: Mouthfilling and creamy with flavours of juniper, summer flowers, bergamot, citrus, coriander seeds, spice and creamy vanilla. Very nicely balanced with some satisfyingly spicy black pepper on the finish.
Ingredients: Our juniper and coriander seeds come from the finest suppliers we could find, from sun-drenched lands that gives our gin the perfect foundation to build on. Our rhubarb, our pride and joy, is the all-Irish jewel in our crown, and, when combined with grapefruit peel, gives our gin zest, joie de vivre, that tart, fruity sharpness like the cheeky Dublin tongue.

Irish Whiskey Awards Gold Medal- Irish Gins 2016

ABV: 42% | Price: €9.00 per measure

Distilled: Kinsale, Co. Cork.

Product Discription
A modern Irish Small Batch Distilled Gin. This smooth and well balanced Gin is Handcrafted in Kinsale by Blacks. Angelica and Orris root combine with liquorice, Juniper and Coriander whilst distinctly citrus notes linger at the end to enhance a dry finish.
This unique Gin is jam packed with so much Juniper Oil it can give it a slightly haze
when the bottle is stored cold, this will disappear at room temperature.

ABV: 42% | Price: €7.00 per measure

Brand: Bertha's Revenge
Rating: 5 Star

Product Description
Nose: Juniper leads, followed quickly by the spicy and warming notes of cardamon, cumin and sweet citrus.
Palate: The whey alcohol base comes to the fore on the palate. Effortlessly smooth from the start with sweet orange, coriander and peppery Alexanders joined in a warming caress of cumin, clove and cardamon with a long fruit driven finish.

Distilled: Ballyvolane House, Castlelyons in Co. Cork. ABV: 42% | Price: €7.00 per measure

The Tequila Sunrise is a cocktail made of tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup and served unmixed in a tall glass . The modern drink originates from Sausalito in the early 1970s, after an earlier one created in the 1930s in Phoenix, near Scottsdale. The cocktail is named for its appearance when served, with gradations of color resembling a sunrise

Tequila, Shaken with ice & Orange Juice, Finished with Grenadine, Slice of Orange

 Price: €8

Tasting Video

Blue Lagoon is a popular summer cocktail featuring blue Curaçao. One variation adds a dash of lime cordial to the mix. Also known as a "Fruit tingle" after the candy available in some countries.

Vodka, Blue Curacao, topped with Sprite, served on ice

 Price: €8

Tasting Video

lovely Classic Summer Cocktail. Strawberry Puree, Blended with Vodka and Ice, Served in a Marguerita Glass. Enjoy!

Price: €8

Tasting Video

New to our Menu, Strawberry Puree added to our classic Gin & Tonic, served with Lime Garnish

 Price: €8

Sour mixes are the easy way out. This is the 19th Century way to make a whiskey sour, and it still stands tall over 200 years later.

Bulleit Bourbon, Lemon & Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Dash of Angostura Bitters, served on ice

 Price: €8

Tasting Video

The old fashioned has been the old-fashioned way to make a cocktail for about 130 years, during which time it has been in and out of fashion – its current resurgence seems almost entirely attributable to its popularity with Mad Men's dreamy Don Draper, who is rarely without one in his dapper hand as he swings his way through the 60s.

The no-nonsense counterpart to all those tediously long drinks full of fizz, fancy flavours and more fruit juice than your average breakfast bar, the old fashioned is that rare thing: a cocktail that actually tastes of booze. It is a drink that goes down as well before dinner as after it; one that you've almost always got the ingredients for; and which packs just enough punch that one is, sensibly, enough. (Though, unlike a martini, two is rarely too many.)

At Revolution, we use Bulleit Bourbon, Simple Vanilla Syrup & Orange Bitters

 Price: €8

Tasting Video

One of most popular Cocktails, Maybe Because of its name!

a Subtle mix of Passion Fruit, Mango & Blood Orange shaked with Vodka & Ice

Price: €8

A Long Island Iced Tea is a type of alcoholic mixed drink typically made with tequila, vodka, light rum, triple sec, gin, and a splash of cola, which gives the drink the same amber hue as its namesake.

 Price: €8

Tasting Video

Mojito is a traditional Cuban highball. Traditionally, a mojito is a cocktail that consists of five ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime juice, sparkling water, and mint

 Price: €8

Tasting Video

The Black Russian is a cocktail of vodka and coffee liqueur. It contains five parts vodka to two parts coffee liqueur. Traditionally the drink is made by pouring the vodka over ice cubes or cracked ice in an old-fashioned glass, followed by the coffee liqueur, we top it with Coke & a Guinness Head

 Price: €8

Tasting Video

This is a popular Sex on the Beach and what is most likely the original. Popular substitutes include using pineapple for the orange, or Midori & Chambord instead of schnapps. Add vodka and peach schnapps to a highball glass over ice. Fill with equal measures of cranberry juice and orange juice, and stir.

 Price: €8

Tasting Video

A London Dry Gin made with botanicals from along the traditional spice route that led back to the UK. Indonesian Cubeb berries, Indian black pepper and Moroccan coriander are all used in this gin, launched by Quintessential Brands in 2013.

Nose: Coriander and citrus, gentle juniper and peppery notes.

Palate: More discernible spiciness and juniper with plenty of coriander.

Finish: Refreshing with citrus and spice.

Overall: A handsome gin that's playfully spiced.

 ABV: 40% | Price: €8

A hand-crafted gin made in the Shed Distillery, Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim.

Oriental Botanicals (berries and roots) and locally foraged Meadowsweet are added to a traditional medieval style still and only allowed to soak for 30 minutes max while the vapour infusion is being prepared.

Various oriental fresh citrus and leaves (gunpowder tea) are added into the 3 layer infusion basket, which lies in the vapour pathway between the still and the condenser. Steam is gently applied. The vapour rises through the unique shape of the medieval head, which allows maximum copper contact, which cleans and purifies the spirit. The vapour exits the still and passes into the infusion basket, where it gently extracts the oils and aromas from the citrus and tea. Boiling in the still would extract bitter compounds from these ingredients, whereas vapour infusion only extracts the aromatic oils. The vapour passes into the condenser and is condensed down into our gin at @ 75%. We take an early cut so as to avoid any harshness that tends to come off further into the distillation. The gin is allowed to rest for a week, which allows the oils and alcohol to infuse and for flavour to develop. It is then diluted to 43% with filtered water and gently filtered for clarity.

Distiller: Shed Distillery, Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim.  | ABV: 43% | Price: €8

Produced in Waterford by Timmy & Nicola of Breakfast show fame. Thin Gin is a new Irish dry gin from Blackwater Spirits. The distinctive juniper perfume mingles with strong citrus notes of orange, lemon and lime on the nose. It uses all Irish grown botanicals such as apple, wild thyme, elder flowers, white clover and tansy. Thin Gin is robust and stands up well when partnered with a good tonic.

Distiller: Blackwater Spirits  | ABV: 35% | Price: €6

Tasting Video

An exciting and unusual gin from Islay whisky distillery Bruichladdich, The Botanist is made in a Lomond still christened Ugly Betty and contains no fewer than 31 botanicals, of which 22 are native to the Southern Hebridean island itself. The latter include the likes of mugwort, meadowsweet and the enigmatic Lady's Bedstraw flowers, and the resultant dry gin is described, perhaps unsurprisingly, as 'floral'.

Winner of TWE Spirit of the Year 2013-14

Distiller:Bruichladdich | ABV: 46% | Price: €8

Tasting Video

Tanqueray is a London Dry Gin with a dry and crisp taste. Whilst the recipe is a fiercely guarded secret, it is thought to contain as little as four botanicals. Bottled at 47.3% ABV, it's very dry and has strong juniper notes with a hint of spice.

 | ABV: 47.3% | Price: €6.50

Tasting Video

An unusual gin from the Black Forest in Germany, Monkey 47 contains a unique ingredient. No, not that! Cranberries! The 47 comes from the number of botanicals that go into this unique gin, and the fact it's bottled at a healthy 47%.

This plethora of ingredients has paid off, and in 2011 Monkey 47 won the World Spirits Award Gold in the Gin category and Gold for best in class for the Gin Worldwide at the International Wine and Spirits Competition London. Not bad!

Nose: Oh there is a lot going on here... woody, vegetable smells under pin fresh grassy citrus notes and botanical sweetness, like a pine forest after the rain.

Palate: Predictably complex, this is a robust and powerful gin with plenty of spice, fruit and herb flavours. It's very well structured, and difficult to unpick but a citrus fresh start segues into pine and wood notes for a drying finish.

Finish: Wooded and reassuringly heavy.

Overall: A unique gin, that is crying out to be made into a Martini. It'll need an equally robust vermouth though.

Distiller: Monkey 47, Germany | ABV: 47% | Price: €8.50

the Making of Monkey 47

A superb, and utterly unique, pink-tinged gin from William Grant's distillery in Scotland. Handcrafted gin with traditional botanicals, juniper, coriander, and citrus peel but the special infusion of cucumber and rose petals creates a unique and unexpected flavour.

 | ABV: 41.4% | Price: €6.50

Tasting Video

The recipe for Gordon's is known to only twelve people in the world and has been kept a secret for 250 years. Triple-distilled, the gin contains juniper berries, coriander seeds, angelica root, liquorice, orris root, orange and lemon peel. It takes ten days distillation after receiving the wheat to create a finished product of a bottle of Gordon's Gin. Gordon's recipe differentiated from others at the time in that it didn't add sugar, which other distillers had used to disguise impurities.^[7] This made it a "dry" gin.

In the UK Gordon's is sold in a green glass bottle, but in export markets it is sold in a clear bottle. Some airport duty-free shops sell it in plastic bottles in the 75cl size.

Gordon's is sold in several different strengths depending on the market. In the US, the strength is 40% ABV. Until 1992, the ABV in the UK was 40%, but it was reduced to 37.5% to bring Gordon's gin into line with other white spirits such as white rum and vodka, and also reduce production costs^[13] (the other leading brands of gin in the UK, Beefeater gin and Bombay Sapphire, are both 40% ABV in the UK). In continental Europe and in some duty-free stores, a 47.3% ABV version is sold, while in New Zealand and Australia, as of 2011, it is sold at 37.2% ABV,  and in South Africa it is 43% ABV.

In addition to the main product line, Gordon's also produce a sloe gin; a Vodka (US & Venezuela only), two alcopop variants, Space and Spark; three Vodka Liqueur Variants, Cranberry, Parchita and Limon (Venezuela only) and a canned, pre-mixed gin and tonic as well as a canned Gordon's and Grapefruit (500ml - Russia only).

On 11 February 2013, Gordon's announced the release of Gordon's Crisp Cucumber, a flavoured gin, which blends the original gin with cucumber flavour. In early 2014, Gordon's Elderflower was added to their "flavoured" gin collection and is made in much the same way, with a natural elderflower flavouring being added to the original recipe.

 | ABV: 40% | Price: €5

Tasting Video

The Glendalough Distillery was set up by five friends from Wicklow and Dublin with a deep passion for reviving the heritage of craft distilling in Ireland. In the 18th & 19th centuries there were over 200 licensed distilleries in Ireland (and countless unlicensed ones) producing diverse styles of poitín, whiskey, gin and even absinthe. Until recently that dropped to a small handful. We couldn’t sit idly by and allow this in the birthplace of distilled drink. We had all worked in and around the drinks industry but wanted to forge our own path, to set up something meaningful. Something that meant we could make innovative spirits while staying true to the tradition and heritage of our ancestors. Where the Glendalough Distillery story started was exactly where it should have – with the first ever spirit, poitín. It has since moved on to its natural progression, whiskey. And on again to our latest set of seasonal, wild botanical gins with a depth of flavour and a drinking experience that simply doesn’t exist today in Irish distilling, or maybe anywhere.

Distiller: Glendalough | ABV: 40% | Price: €6

Tasting Video

A new gin from the recently opened Dingle Distillery. They also make a vodka and are distilling whiskey for release in the future. This is very well made and has a classic London dry gin character. Distilled in pot stills with a range of botanicals including Rowan Berry, Fuscia, Bog Myrtle, Heather, Chervil and Hawthorn.

Distiller: Dingle Distillery | ABV: 42.5% | Price: €6

Dingle Gin Cocktail

Cork Dry Gin is an Irish gin. First produced in Cork in the Watercourse Distillery in 1793, Cork Dry Gin is now manufactured by the Cork Distilleries Company (CDC) (based in Midleton). Owned by Pernod Ricard subsidiaryIrish Distillers, Cork Dry Gin is the biggest selling gin in Ireland.

Distiller: Pernod Richard | ABV: 40% | Price: €5

a Song About Cork Dry Gin! 

The medicinal effect of the juniper berries, the basis of every gin, was an extremely popular product as a medicine. Always in search of a challenge, Mr Copperhead wanted to create an experience for consumers. Not just an ordinary gin and tonic but one where you’re your own alchemist – and so Copperhead Gin was created.

Copperhead is made in authentic copper stills. Every distillation is executed with passion and a high level of expertise. Copperhead organic botanicals are used for a first distillation. In this process the botanicals are heated and release their complex signature aromatics. This London dry gin has a signature juniper dominant taste with a hint of citrus flavour which creates a very soft and subtle gin.

Different ingredients were listed to create Copperhead gin. During many months, different batches were made to search for the perfect balance of ingredients.

Finally five ingredients were selected: Juniper berries, Cardamom, Angelica, Coriander seeds and Orange zest.

Copperhead Gin further supports the alchemist story with three blends.

The blends generate a functional and aromatic effect to G&T. They’re a mixture of plant and fruit extracts which give an extra dimension to G&Ts. Firstly the global taste gets redefined, but above all the blends generate a functional effect for the consumer. By adding only four drops, you’ll add an exceptional functional effect: aperitivum, digestivum or energeticum.

 | ABV: 42% | Price: €8.50

Web Site 

One of the best known and most delicately perfumed gins in the world, Bombay Sapphire makes an excellent Martini, and is great as a base for a Gin and Tonic.

Distiller: Bombay Spirit Company | ABV: 40% | Price: €6

Tasting Video

The quintessential London Dry Gin, Beefeater’s birth can be traced back to 1863, when James Burrough bought a Chelsea distillery for the then grand some of £400 and started to produce his own distinctive style of gin. At first, the distillery continued with the production of liqueurs as previously started by its previous owners, further establishing its reputation and extending its customer base.

The 1876 company stock lists show an increasing portfolio of gins with brand names such as Ye Old Chelsea and James Burrough London Dry, as well as Old Tom styles and a few others. By spending time experimenting, inventing and using new processes he discovered that blending a particular recipe of botanicals produced a bold, full-flavoured gin, which he named Beefeater Gin.

After the almost instant success of the gin, it was soon made the James Burrough Company’s flagship product. The original Beefeater recipe book dated 1895, specifies that nine botanicals are essential (juniper, angelica root, angelica seeds, coriander seeds, liquorice, almonds, orris root, Seville oranges and lemon peel) to create the full-bodied and robust flavour so distinct in this gin. The flavour he produced still defines the London Dry style to this day and although the production moved home in 1958 (to Kennington, London), the method of steeping and distilling devised by James Burrough in the 1860′s along with the secret recipe he created remains virtually unchanged.

Unique to Beefeater’s production is the steeping of the peel of lemons and Seville oranges, whole juniper berries and other natural botanicals for a full 24 hours prior to distillation. This long process allows for a full extraction of flavour from the botanicals, capturing a wide range of volatile oils, all of which are essential to produce the characteristically bold and balanced flavour. The distillation itself takes around eight hours to complete, overseen by master distiller Desmond Payne – with the spirit then taken to Scotland where it is blended and bottled at 40% ABV.

Beefeater Gin to taste…

Beefeater London Dry Gin is possibly the ultimate benchmark when considering gins and from a distillation, historical and flavour perspective, is the very definition of a traditional London Dry Gin. On the nose Beefeater is both spicy and fruity, nicely balanced and clearly focused on the juniper. The palate is dry with a herbal bouquet and citrus notes complimenting the juniper.Beefeater deserves its position as one as one the gin categories leaders as, indisputably, it’s a classic you can always rely on.

The name ‘Beefeater’ refers to the Yeoman Warders who are the ceremonial guards of the Tower of London. The decision to name the gin Beefeater was truly revolutionary at the time and it is one of the first examples of (gin) brands using an aspirational image and emblem, rather than a family name or location to position the product as the ultimate London Dry Gin. On a separate note; Not that geographical location has anything to do with the London Dry name tag (as this refers to the method of distillation and other such technicalities), the Beefeater distillery is one of only 4 currently still operational in London itself.

Beefeater has always had a major export trade thanks to its early marketing as a quintessentially “English” product, and the Burrough company have reputedly been exporting as far back as the 1900’s. Their vision and efforts to re-establish trade routes after the second world war are particularly notable and in 1957, a reputed 65% of Beefeater production was exported. With export firmly in mind, on the maiden journey of the QE2 ship to New York, Beefeater was the only gin aboard and by 1980, it broke the two million case (sold) barrier. Currently under the Pernod Ricard portfolio (it remained in the Burrough’s family control until 1987) it is exported to over 100 countries across the globe, with annual sales of over 2.3 million nine-litre cases. Interestingly there are only less than 10 employees at their sole plant in London producing all these cases!

There are limited edition releases of Beefeater available too.Summer and Winter editions as well as a London Market edition showcase subtle differences of flavour and are a fun addition to the range. All share the core Beefeater DNA, but lean towards a particular botanical. While these were limited edition runs, a more permanent addition to their portfolio was launched in 2013 and Burrough’s Reserve, one of the few barrel aged gins made in the UK, has been slowly filtering into stores and bars ever since  – we’ll be writing a separate post about all of these other releases soon, so stay tuned for further details.

The recent launches of the Beefeater Special Editions and Burroughs Reserve as well as a move towards cross-marketing the gins in the Pernod Ricard portfolio has seen the original Beefeater London Dry receive more media attention since 2010. Combined with the hard work of their brand ambassadors in the on-trade and polished consumer campaigns such as the Gin & Tales digital hub, ongoing global bartender competitions and tactical partnerships – the team have managed to breath new life into this classic brand. It’s hard to see how Beefeater would ever lose their position as the biggest, most well known gin, but with affection for the the big brands faltering of late (in favour of the tide of new gins released), it’s been a relief to see their fight-back not only start but actually deliver results. It is all too easy to overlook Beefeater simply because it is so widely available, well priced and has always been around. However, those that do, do so at their peril as they will miss out on a classic gin that is a cut above many of the others out on the market.

Distiller: Patron | ABV: 35% | Price: €7

Tasting Video

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Distiller: Patron | ABV: 35% | Price: €7

Tasting Video

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Distiller: Patron | ABV: 35% | Price: €7

Tasting Video

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Nose: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.

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Distiller: Patron | ABV: 35% | Price: €7

Tasting Video

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Nose: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.

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Distiller: Patron | ABV: 35% | Price: €7

Tasting Video

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Nose: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.

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Distiller: Patron | ABV: 35% | Price: €7

Tasting Video

The black Jacques Senaux Absinthe is the highest strength version which has aniseed, herbs & pepper plus plenty of alcohol. Should be drunk with a mixer.

Distiller: Teichenne Distillery | ABV: 85% | Price: €10

A strong absinthe with a good flavour of liquorice. This contains real wormwood (Thujone) and it best reduced down with some water.

Distiller: Teichenne Distillery | ABV: 80% | Price: €9

Jacques Senaux red absinthe is a uniquely coloured absinthe with real wormwood.

Distiller: Teichenne Distillery | ABV: 75% | Price: €8

The Jacques Senaux 70 (for 70% alcohol) Green reveals particularly pronounced notes of star anise.

The Jacques Senaux 70 Green comes in a very nice rectangular bottle topped with a large uncommon cork. A Green Fairy is shown on the label, harmonizing the overall look even more. The louche action that appears during the addition of water is quick and thick, leaving a beautiful milky green colour.

The absinth Jacques Senaux 70 Green is for liquorice lovers!

Also available in black, red, and blue colour.

Distiller: Teichenne Distillery | ABV: 70% | 

Mexico isn’t the first region I consider when pondering coffee, but it turns out they actually produce some interesting stuff. Perhaps it makes sense therefore that the folk over at Patron would have a go at making their own coffee liqueur. A blend of ‘coffee essence’ and Patron silver, it weighs in at a relatively hefty 35% abv and claims to be an altogether drier option than many traditional coffee liqueurs.

Nose: Sweetened alcohol-laced coffee. Rather nutty with a touch of summer fruits. The tequila is sufficiently subtle so as to be almost undetectable.

Neat: Sweetness hits pretty hard upfront such that you have to question the claim that this is a drier option than most coffee liqueurs. Fortunately the sweetness is relatively fleeting and a rounded bitter coffee flavour builds in intensity through the mid-palate to balance, but never quite eliminate it. A touch cloying on the finish when tasted neat, but a few ice cubes soon sorts that out. As with the nose, the tequila is definitely not the prominent feature here, but the agave flavours do make an appearance on the finish to show that they have been helping to create a more complex flavour profile than would have been the case with neutral spirit.

Distiller: Patron | ABV: 35% | Price: €7

Tasting Video

Tequila is unique from other spirits in many ways, but one that stands out is the size of the plant from which it is produced. The cereals, grains and even sugar cane that are used to produce vodka, whisky, rum and so on pale in comparison with the cracking size of the Agave plant from which tequila is produced. The Agave plant can weigh in at some 200lbs and take up to 7 years to reach maturity, making the growing just as much of a labour of love as the harvesting is just plain labour!

Patron tequila is produced using a mix of old skills and modern technology; the harvested pina being first steamed for 79 hrs, before being shredded then macerated using  a stone wheel taken from a local mountain called a Tahona. The juice from the macerated agave is them fermented in wooden tanks for 72 hrs to create ‘must’ which is then twice distilled in copper pot stills, with filtration and blending taking place after each distillation

Nose: Slightly oily and almost ‘meaty’ agave aromas combine with lime and grapefruit top notes. Much lighter and more citrusy than many tequilas.

Neat: A somewhat fleeting appearance of sweet agave leads to earthier notes that rapidly develop into peppery spice that lingers and dominates the finish which is strangely metallic. A touch of blue cheese and plum offer promise, but like the agave are just a touch brief. This will appeal likely to non-traditional tequila drinkers.

Distiller ;Patron | ABV: 40% | Price: €7

Tasting Video

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After showcasing tequila recently, I’ve been waiting to try out one that has caught my eye in more the bottle than anything. Once you realise the brand, and the logo, you can understand the link – its name? Olmeca.

Olmeca is produced at Destileria Colonial de Jalisco in the town of Arandas, Jalisco in Western Mexico which incidentally is 2104 metres above sea level. Operation at the plant is overseen by Maestro Tequilero Jesús Hernández and as the Master Distiller he is responsible for supervising the hand-selected blue agave picked after 7–8 years of growth. Once harvested, traditional brick ovens are then used to slow cook the piñas. Part of the production process at Olmeca involves using the 500-year-old traditional and artisanalTahona method, which consists of a 2 tonne millstone made of volcanic rock, known locally as Tezontle. Once the Agave piñas have been harvested and cooked, they are crushed by the Tahona, creating a pulp and drawing out the juice from the fibres. This juice is referred to as Tahona Liquid, of which a percentage is integrated into the fermentation and distillation process of all Olmeca Tequilas, with Olmeca Tezón exclusively containing 100% Tahona Liquid.

Distiller ;Olmeca | ABV: 40% | Price: €5

Olmeca Ad 

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Brewer: Spirit | ABV: 4.8% | Price: €5.50

Read more on there Website: Website here

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Brewer: Spirit | ABV: 4.8% | Price: €5.50

Read more on there Website: Website here

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Brewer: Spirit | ABV: 4.8% | Price: €5.50

Read more on there Website: Website here

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Brewer: Spirit | ABV: 4.8% | Price: €5.50

Read more on there Website: Website here

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Brewer: Spirit | ABV: 4.8% | Price: €5.50

Read more on there Website: Website here

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Brewer: Spirit | ABV: 4.8% | Price: €5.50

Read more on there Website: Website here

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Brewer: Spirit | ABV: 4.8% | Price: €5.50

Read more on there Website: Website here

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Brewer: Spirit | ABV: 4.8% | Price: €5.50

Read more on there Website: Website here

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Brewer: Spirit | ABV: 4.8% | Price: €5.50

Read more on there Website: Website here

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Brewer: Spirit | ABV: 4.8% | Price: €5.50

Read more on there Website: Website here