POUR OVER LIBATIONS: HIGHCLERE CASTLE GIN

By Jadan Horyn & Margaret Luce

Its name evokes that grand British Edwardian period drama, and its packaging is equally dramatic. Highclere Castle Gin presents in a deeply royal purple glass bottle that would look regal on display in a home as well as behind a bar. Playing off the world-famous Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle Gin has much to live up to, and it pays service to its majestic namesake. Highclere Castle is the seat of the Earl of Carnarvon and his family. Gin cocktails at Highclere date back to that early Downton presented era - no doubt a bit of serendipitous nostalgia - in fact, the family’s archives mention the “Highclere Style” for over a century. The traditional method of indulgence involves a cocktail made with gin, tonic, a fresh orange squeeze, and peel, and finished with a rosemary sprig from the garden.” So, it is only natural that the family would seek to distill their own gin to truly have the “Highclere Style” all their own. The gin presents well, but it pleases the palette even more. Its botanical blend sources from the castle’s own herb garden. More than a mere gimmick, the notes of the gin feature a crisp juniper, whose origins date from roman Britannia and grow wild across the sprawling estate. Lavender, lime flower, and orange peel together with oats from high chalk soil below the property are incorporated delicately. The resulting taste is floral on the nose and creamy on the end. Each element in the gin interplays to create the evocation of a first-rate London dry gin, yet it is contemporary and feels like an experience all its own. It shines even more in the versatility it offers in cocktail choices. In the classic gin martini, its botanicals demur and its crisp juniper-pine essence punches through in a smooth finish of a super-premium spirit. Highclere Castle Gin is on track to be the most awarded gin by the end of this year and is certainly worthy of the high style and class borrowed from its connection with Downton Abbey. It is simply a must for spirits sophisticate. Do tell.