GIN MASTERS

GIN

MASTERS

FROM SPICY TO SWEET, IRELAND’S GIN MAKERS HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

SKELLIG SIX18 GIN

Skellig Six18 Gin was launched in Chapter One restaurant in Dublin in October 2019. Renowned chef Ross Lewis and his team played a part in devising the recipe for the gin, which reflects the Skellig coast and is, says the Distillery, very much a ‘food’ gin, created for people who enjoy food and want to discover how flavours are put together. Collaborating with sea foragers, land foragers, chefs and fishermen, three botanicals are used to make Skellig Six18 Gin; yarrow, which grows wild in every ditch in Europe, birch sap and fresh Douglas fir needles. Skellig Six18 Distillery is located in what was previously a manufacturing plant for textiles in Cahersiveen, right on the Ring of Kerry. The distillery’s visitor centre is proving a hit with both international and domestic visitors, while exports are a priority going forward.

www.skelligsix18distillery.ie

MICIL IRISH GIN

With local ingredients to the fore, Micil Irish Gin is a West of Ireland take on contemporary dry gin, made West of Ireland take on contemporary dry gin, made using local flowers and herbs that are macerated in the using local flowers and herbs that are macerated in the distillery’s copper pot still overnight. Handcrafted by the distillery’s copper pot still overnight. Handcrafted by the Micil family at the Galway distillery, Micil Irish Gin is Micil family at the Galway distillery, Micil Irish Gin is inspired by the bogs, hedgerows and seashore of inspired by the bogs, hedgerows and seashore of Connemara and the historical trade links with Southern Connemara and the historical trade links with Southern Europe that gave Galway City its distinctly Latin feel. In Europe that gave Galway City its distinctly Latin feel. In late 2021, Micil Distillery unveiled its Spiced Orange Gin, late 2021, Micil Distillery unveiled its Spiced Orange Gin, a reimagining of Micil’s classic gin, distilled with a reimagining of Micil’s classic gin, distilled with handpicked Connemara flowers and herbs and enriched handpicked Connemara flowers and herbs and enriched with vibrant orange zest and warm rounded spice. with vibrant orange zest and warm rounded spice.

www.micildistillery.com www.micildistillery.com

TRIBE IRISH GIN

Galway-based craft gin company Tribe Irish Gin recently opened the doors to Tribe Gin School – Ireland's largest and Galway's fi rst dedicated gin school. Following a €140,000 refurbishment, the new 1400 sq ft space can seat 22 people at a time for gin classes and boasts a range of unique design features including an apothecary-style botanical pick n’ mix area for pupils to choose their own distinctive fl avour combinations. Developed in March 2021 by four Galway natives, Tribe Irish Gin and Gin School came to life in the throes of a global pandemic. Founded by Adam Scally, Cormac Commins, Ciarán O’Domhnaill and Michael Allen, the friends wanted to create a gin that would appeal to the modern day ‘tribal beat’ of the city. Tribe Gin uses locally sourced seaweed and botanicals native to the West coast along with lemon, heather, cassia and cardamom. The gin took home a Gold Medal at The Spirits Business Gin Masters 2022, the largest Gin Masters to date with 513 entries.

www.tribegin.ie

Connemara is a unique single malted peated Irish Whiskey with rich malt and fruit aromas. It's silky smooth with a honey sweet stars, followed by malt and fruit flavours giving way to the full-bodied peat. The liquid is very versatile - perfect to enjoy on the rocks or in our signature cocktail Connemara Woo Woo. Make sure to stock up as a part of your drink's menu.

CONNCULLIN IRISH GIN

Located on the banks of the River Moy in Ballina, Co Mayo, The Connacht Distillery makes Conncullin Gin along with Connacht Single Malt Irish Whiskey and Straw Boys Vodka and Poitin. Distilled in small batches, Conncullin is defined by a blend of juniper supported by hawthorn berry, elderberry and other botanicals. Inspiration for the name ‘Conncullin’ comes from the two Mayo lakes, Lough Conn and Lough Cullin, where the distillery’s water source originates. Over the years, limited edition cask aged variations of Conncullin Gin have proved a hit with the public, with more releases planned for the near future.

AN DÚLAMÁN GIN

In 2017, Moira and James Doherty opened An Dúlamán Gin distillery in Carrick, Co Donegal. Savoury as opposed to floral, An Dúlamán Carrick, Co Donegal. Savoury as opposed to floral, An Dúlamán contains five di erent types of seaweed, foraged on the west coast of contains five di erent types of seaweed, foraged on the west coast of Ireland. It’s the only Irish gin to contain five di erent seaweeds and is t’s the only Irish gin to contain five di erent seaweeds and is made using a 500-litre hand-beaten copper still, which Moira has made using a 500-litre hand-beaten copper still, which Moira has christened ‘Méabh’. At the moment, Moira is working on two christened ‘Méabh’. At the moment, Moira is working on two extensions of the gin, made up of the same basic recipe but only extensions of the gin, made up of the same basic recipe but only containing kelp. Inspiration for the new flavours comes from the containing kelp. Inspiration for the new flavours comes from the time the couple spent in Asia and from Moira’s early life in time the couple spent in Asia and from Moira’s early life in Africa. Plans are also in place to build a new gin distillery in Africa. Plans are also in place to build a new gin distillery in Ardara, which will see capacity go from 440,000 to 600,000 Ardara, which will see capacity go from 440,000 to 600,000 litres of alcohol a year.

www.andulamangin.com

MAHARANI GIN

Rebel City Distillery, makers of Maharani Gin, recently launched the Rebel City Distillery Tour in the repurposed Ford Car factory in Cork. The tour gives visitors insight into the distilling and blending processes that created the gin, and the soon to be released, Ireland’s only publicly available, Absinthe. With Maharani Gin, founders Robert and Bhagya Barrett have created a fusion of the couple’s respective heritage and cultures of Cork and Kerala, paying homage to Kerala women who are known for their strength and importance in society. The gin is zested with pomelo fruit and uniquely spiced with cassia and nutmeg-mace, all sourced from a women’s organic farming co-operative in Bhagya’s home state of Kerala, India.

SILKS IRISH DRY GIN

Launched in July 2021, Silks Irish Dry Gin is made at Boann Distillery, a company set up by the Cooney family in 2019. Already available in 15 US markets, the brand is also performing well in the Irish market. Silks’ signature botanicals – apple blossom, elderflower and hawthorne – are all foraged from the Cooney family’s orchard at the foot of the Hill of Tara in Co Meath. A jar of honey from the orchard’s eight hives also goes into each distillation. Distilled by hand in small batches in the distillery’s 500 litre custom copper pot still, each distillation is non-chill filtered and cut back with the distillery's own deep well water before bottling.

www.boanndistillery.ie

BROCKMANS GIN

Last year, Brockmans Gin launched a miniature, 5cl bottle for the first time. An exact replica of the stylish larger bottle, Brockmans features juniper, blueberries and blackberries along with a combination of other aromatics including bittersweet orange peel. The makers of Brockmans describe it as ‘the properly improper gin'. Brockmans was considered rebellious when it first launched as it drew together traditional and unusual botanicals with an untraditional dark bottle, signifying from the moment you saw it that this was not a traditional juniper-forward gin. Nose it and then taste it to realise this is a complex, beautifully made drink in the noble tradition of classic gins, but using 11 botanicals which combine to make a spirit that's truly complex and intriguing. Enjoy Brockmans in a classic G&T, garnished with blueberries and pink grapefruit peel; on the rocks; in a negroni; or in a very dry martini, because a ‘properly improper' gin underpins a perfect serve.

www.brockmansgin.com

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