KØBENHAVN KLASSISK GIN by ginsociety

THE KØBENHAVN KLASSISK GIN EDITION

KLOSTERGATAN, ÖREBRO, SWEDEN

Photo by Philip Myrtorp on Unsplash

FOUNDER’S

WELCOME

Welcome to another edition of the Gin Journal and another bottle of phenomenal gin to keep you warm this winter. After a quick trip across the ditch last issue, this time we are travelling to the other side of the globe to bring you a slice of Scandinavia. Here’s a hint: it’s a gin that has won gold at all the most prestigious competitions around the world. København Klassisk Gin is a spirit that truly reflects what a ‘classic gin’ should be - juniper-forward with an enchanting array of local botanicals. Join us as we explore the remarkable Nordic Gin House, which collaborates with the best local distilleries and the most renowned sommeliers, master distillers and mixologists in the Nordic area.

We also explore the history of spirits in not only Denmark, where this issue’s gin takes its inspiration, but the rest of the Nordic region. Then we dive into the wild world of aquavit – while the Dutch of yesteryear were downing genever, Scandinavians were imbibing aquavit. So what’s the difference, and which one is better? (Need you ask!) We speak to this issue’s Ginsiders, Gin Society members Craig Campbell and Danielle Murnane, to learn when, why and where they fell in love with gin, and the Nordic Gin House team share some of their favourite gin-based cocktails that you can mix up at home. As always, you can drop us a line at hello@ ginsociety.com. In the spirit of winter, we hope you get a kick out of this frosty edition of the Gin Journal and enjoy the taste of Copenhagen in a bottle. Cheers!

40ML GIN 20ML ELDERFLOWER LIQUEUR 20ML BLUE CURACAO 30ML LEMON JUICE 15ML SUGAR SYRUP 1 EGG WHITE

BLUE COCKTAIL BY @GINBISSE. VERY POPULAR ON INSTAGRAM!

Andrew Burge Founder, Gin Society

VISIT US AT WWW.GINSOCIETY.COM

4 MEET THE MAKER

A love letter to the London Dry

14 AQUAVIT VS GIN

Con

What’s the difference?

16 DRINK YOUR WAY through Scandanivian Gins

The Gin Society team

Founder: Andrew Burge Director: Jagdev Singh Creative Director: Annah Lansdown Head of IT: Chris Richardson Membership Relations: Emily Prunty Designer: Tori Gibson Editor: Simon Jones

20 COCKTAILS FROM SCANDANIVIA

28 GIN SHELFIES

24 THE GINSIDERS with Gin Society members Danielle Murnane and Craig Campbell

Take a look at all the gin-shelfie entries from our recent competition

36 THE NORDIC GIN LIST Our pick of 7 top-notch Nordic gins you must try

KØBENHAVN KLASSISK GIN EDITION

ntents

42 THE GIN LIBRARY Read all things gin

Get in touch | Gin Journal is the bi-monthly members’ magazine of the Gin Society. Members Got a question or query about your membership? We’re here to help. Drop us a line – hello@ginsociety.com

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København A love letter to the London Dry

Bergslagens Distillery, Örebro, Sweden

n Klassisk How a high-flying executive left the corporate world to embrace his love of spirits – and create one of the mostawarded gins on the planet.

ROM BIG CORPORATE OFFICE TO BIG GIN IDEAS

“In 2014, I left the corporate world due to the fact that I was bored,” quips Jakob Vallentin, Founder and Managing Director at Nordic Gin House. “You know how it is working in big companies – it’s all about KPIs and preparing yourself for the next board meeting. I had the big office, the big salary, the big BMW. But I was bored.” There’s no bluster to Jakob’s confidence. It’s the simple truth, evidenced by what’s hanging behind his desk: a wall of global accolades stretching from floor to ceiling, many of which have been awarded to his København Klassisk Gin. Transitioning from the C-suite to something else entirely isn’t uncommon. But moving into the competitive spirits world requires more than just rose-tinted daydreams. It requires passion, money, patience, and a firm plan for how you will define your brand. “In 2016 I decided that I wanted to make the world’s best Nordic gin,” Jakob says. “The idea was to create one gin for each of the individual countries in the Nordics – Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and even Greenland. That was the initial idea of behind Nordic Gin House.” 5

“In 2016 I decided that I wanted to make the world’s best Nordic gin.” With his vision firmly planted, Jakob began travelling around Scandinavia in search of the best people to join his team. When he found his way to master distiller Patrik Axelsson, Jakob’s dream began to form into a very achievable reality.

Jakob

when I had the opportunity to start a distillery, it was a pretty easy decision. It was the dream.” But Patrik and his team didn’t have much to compare themselves to back then. “When we started, there were only about five distilleries in Sweden. All of them were making aquavit, maybe three of them were making whisky, but none were making gin. We were the first to do it in 2012, and in fact we were one year ahead of Hernö Gin.” A few years later, sitting with Jakob and listening to his ambitious plans for Nordic gin, Patrik made another easy decision.

Jakob Vallentin, Founder

“My own journey started back in 2010, with the Bergslagens Distillery in Örebro, Sweden,” Patrik says. “I’d always been interested in food and drink, especially whisky, aquavit and gin, so

INDING THE FLAVOUR OF DENMARK

work out what is and is not Danish. That meant tasting a lot of different ingredients to find the ‘magic touch’.”

With the Nordic Gin House concept nailed, Jakob needed to refine some of the initial recipes he’d mocked up.

At the end of it all, they found their holy grail – or rather, two grails: Nordic spruce (pine) and licorice root. Thus, Jakob and Patrik had defined the signature for their Danish København Klassisk.

“The recipes were based on the London Dry style of gin, but I wanted to use local ingredients as much as possible. I also needed each gin to have a special touch of botanicals from their individual country.” First up was making a Danish gin with Patrik, which resulted in the København Klassisk Gin you are enjoying this issue. “It was not easy to find the right ingredients to be Danish,” Jakob admits. “I lined up a meeting with a wine and tasting expert, a Norwegian bartender and a number of people who were working in the field of gin botanicals. We had to

“It was not easy to find the right ingredients to be Danish.” Jakob

Patrik Axelsson, Master Distiller

PUNCH OF JUNIPER – BUT BALANCE IN ALL THINGS When you first taste København Klassisk – to be honest, a sniff alone will suffice – you’ll be swept up by the most recognisable of gin’s botanicals, juniper, in large supply. It’s no coincidence when you understand Jakob’s intentions from the outset.

amounts of juniper per litre in a gin product.”

“Looking at Copenhagen as the capital of Denmark, it is in many ways a developing city. It’s a strong city in the Nordics,” Jakob says. “So the headline of developing the København Klassisk Gin – one that would be a tribute to the city – was to use flavours like licorice. But juniper is also heavily represented in this gin. It has one of the highest

“But I also didn’t want to have a juniper kick that was overly dominating – I wanted it to have a balance. So when you drink the København Klassisk, you’ll get a classic gin with a lot of juniper – no matter how you mix it, you will get the real taste of gin. And that’s probably why I have the hall of fame of awards behind my desk.

Jakob says he was trying to create a profile that could perform just as well as other juniperrich gins. “I asked myself, ‘Which gin do I want us to identify next to?’ That was the Sipsmith VJOP (Very Juniper Over Proof ). It has extreme juniper – you’re never left doubting that you are having a glass of gin.

“This gin has won more than 60 awards at competitions around the world. It’s because the gin is so clean, so neat and so classic. But also it has that balance when you taste it.”

“It has one of the highest amounts of juniper per litre in a gin product.”

TICKING TO THE KLASSISKS.

Paying tribute to the classics is of paramount importance for Jakob. He’s a strong believer in doing something well, rather than being different just for different’s sake. “We live in an area of the world where we believe in clean, neat and very clear products. But also very classic products,” Jakob says.

“We are not the people who age gin in Swedish oak. We might do it for fun, and you can come and taste it. But commercially, especially in the future when the gin category begins to stabilise, all those other (non-classic style) brands will start to disappear, and the ones that will stay on the store shelves will be the London Dry gins.

“I might be wrong, but I think that for a gin and tonic, when you are mixing that classic cocktail, the gin has to be a classic style – that’s how you identify a gin. Then you can give it some gold dust on top, which is what we are doing with the pine and licorice root and lingonberry in our Nordic Gin House products. But the soul of the gins are London Dry – the juniper is the identity of the spirit. That’s what is going to survive in the future.”

“But the soul of the gins are London Dry,”

Negroni

Jakob

Botanical specialties

To help capture the flavour of Denmark, Jakob and Patrik worked with a number of botanical specialists to craft the ultimate sensory experience. Spend a moment sipping your København Klassisk neat and try to pick out the main botanicals: Juniper Licorice root Nordic spruce (pine) Citrus

VIKING TIKI • • • • •

50mL Pineapple infused København Klassisk Gin 25mL Lime Juice 20mL Aperol 15mL Monin Falernum Syrup 10mL Orgeat

Viking Tiki Cocktail

Shake all ingredients with cubed ice. Strain into an ice-filled tiki glass and garnish with pineapple leaves.

CUCUMBER COLLINS • • • • •

50mL Cucumber infused København Klassisk Gin 30mL Lemon Juice 20mL Sugar syrup Sparkling water Fresh cucumber

Shaked up by @kasparges and photo shot by @ginbisse

Get a highball glass and start building the cocktail by pouring in gin, lemon and sugar. Top off with sparkling water and gently stir.

Jakob and Patrik’s desert-island gins It’s an ever-changing list, but a trio of gin favourites among the hallways of the Nordic Gin House are:

Bivrost Arctic Gin (Lyngseidet, Norway)

Gin Eva (Mallorca, Spain)

Sipsmith VJOP (West London, England)

“It has extreme juniper – you’re never left doubting that you are having a glass of gin.” nordicginhouse.com

Photo by Noward Bouchevereau on Unsplash

e What’ s the differenc between gin and aquavit?

AQUAVIT Photo by Kevin Fobe

As the national liquor of most Nordic countries, we examine Scandinavia’ s love affair with aquavit and place it against the more refined spirit of gin. 14

What is aquavit exactly? When it comes to social lubricant in Scandinavia, there really is no alternative to aquavit. An esoteric spirit to those from the other side of the planet, aquavit tends to find its way into most gatherings across the Nordic regions. It’s as natural as a goon sack hanging on a Hill’s Hoist in Australia.

“

TO FIND AQUAVIT IN A NORDIC GATHERING IS AS NATURAL AS A GOON SACK HANGING ON A HILL’S HOIST IN AUSTRALIA.

Like gin, aquavit is a distilled spirit (usually from grain or potatoes, whereas gin in Australia is usually distilled from grain, grape or sugar) flavoured with at least one botanical. In gin, we expect a flavour punch of juniper, among a variety of other botanicals preferred by the distiller. In aquavit, the main flavour component is caraway. As a relative of fennel, you’re likely to get a gentle waft of anise in most aquavits, as well as other complementary botanicals like dill, cumin, coriander and citrus.

The quaffer versus the sipper Despite the similarities in their distillation process and how they are created from a base spirit, aquavit is more often regarded as the ‘quaffable’ drink whereas gin is a delicate, refined and adaptable spirit to be used in a huge selection of cocktails. Even neat, most people would find it more enjoyable to sip on a gin than an aquavit.

The original cure-all While the origins of gin can be traced back as far as the 11th century, generally it’s accepted that gin only really began its rise from the mid-17th century. Aquavit is similarly ancient. In fact, the first mention of aquavit was made in a letter from a Danish lord to a Norwegian bishop in 1531. The spiced liquor was said to be able to cure any illness known to man. While those fanciful claims have long since been put to rest, aquavit has nevertheless remained a staple of Nordic drinking culture.

If you do feel like trying an aquavit, we recommend having a tipple of København Klassisk Gin right after to compare!

Nuet Dry Aquavit: silver medal in the gin category at the 2021 Nordic Spirit Awards. https://nuetaquavit.com/

How to imbibe aquavit the Nordic way Whether you find yourself in Denmark, Sweden, Iceland or anywhere that stocks aquavit in large supply, there really is only one way to drink it: chilled and unmixed. 1. Pop it into the freezer until it’s nice and chilled. 2. Pour a dram into a tulip glass. 3. Take a sniff and see if you can pick out the caraway, dill or anise scents on the nose. 4. Gulp it down, preferably with a selection of delicious Nordic appetisers and sandwiches.

LINIE Aquavit

Try Original

The original botanical recipe of LINIE Aquavit has remained unchanged since its creation, more than 200 years ago. LINIE is a potato-based spirit, distilled in pot stills with a special blend of Nordic herbs and spices to give it its distinct flavour. The young spirit is placed in Spanish Oloroso sherry casks to develop further. Ultimately the casks are sent on a sea journey across the world to mature. The result is an extraordinarily smooth and well balanced aquavit with leading notes of caraway and star anise – and finer hints of vanilla and sherry. Visit https:// linie.com/where-to-buy/australia/

DRINK YOUR WAY

We might know a thing or two about drinking here in Australia, but the Nordic region has a long and storied history of imbibing beer and spirits. Let’s explore some of the highlights of Scandinavia’s drinking culture – and some of their top gins!

THROUGH SCANDINAVIAN GINS

DENMARK The Danes are regarded as some of the happiest people in the world, picking up top gong on the World Happiness Report several years in a row. Some might say it’s because of the country’s focus on social welfare and high level of equality, but we reckon it’s also because they produce some of the finest liquor in the world. While their rich Viking heritage harks back to ale, mead, wine and syra – a fermented milk drink – these days it’s all about clear spirits. You’ll find some fantastic vodka as soon as you step foot in Denmark, but it’s the gin that really stands head and shoulders above the rest. Like Australia and many other countries around the world, gin exploded in Denmark around the 2010s and now boasts a remarkable spirits scene. Micro-distilleries are dotted throughout this nation of just 5.8 million people, and you could spend weeks trying all the different types of gin without ever getting bored.

Trolden Copperpot Gin

Copenhagen Distillery Dry Gin

https://www.copenhagendistillery.com/spirit/gin

Trolden Distillery: https://www.trolden.com/

Highlights København Klassisk Gin: Carrying one of the highest levels of juniper berries in the world. Copenhagen Dry Gin: The first 100% honey gin spirit made from double-distilled mead. Trolden Copperpot Gin: Distilled in small copper kettles, this mild gin is a far cry from a traditional London Dry.

Sweden’s spirits market is tightly regulated. Sure, you can buy a lowstrength beer from the supermarket, but if you’re in the mood for a clear spirit then you’ll need to head to a Systembolaget. This governmentowned liquor chain is the only place in Sweden you are allowed to purchase alcoholic products higher than 3.5% ABV. Despite this, the gin scene in Sweden is booming. Take a swig of some of the country’s top gins and you’ll understand why so many spirits lovers appreciate Swedish gin. Having access to some of the purest water in the world means Swedish distillers have an edge when it comes to cutting their product.

Hernö Gin

SWEDEN

FUN FACT T SYSTEMBGGOLESAT GWINE E AND

Cocktails on

Highlights

Bergslagens Classic Organic Gin: A truly unique gin with its base alcohol tripledistilled from selected wheat. Hernö Dry Gin: One of Europe’s most awarded gins, straight from Sweden’s first gin distillery.

Bergslagens Classic Organic Gin

ONE OF THE BI S SPIRIT RETAILER tovernmen g This in a h c quor owned li ce only pla is the re a u n yo in Swede se a h rc pu allowed to roducts p alcoholic .5% ABV. 3 n a th higher

NORWAY Like the rest of Scandinavia, liquor in Norway is more commonly associated with aquavit than anything else. While the French have cognac, the Scots have whisky and the Yanks have bourbon, Norwegians have their “water of life”. In fact, there are more than 90 different varieties of aquavit produced in the country today. 18

Oslo Gin

But that hasn’t stopped new and established distillers from crafting their own gin. Back in 2005, with the Norwegian alcohol market first opening up, there were only a couple of distilleries. Now you’ll find dozens of facilities working hard to produce a gin that can knock aquavit off its perch as the country’s most beloved spirit. Highlights Oslo Gin: A tribute to the world’s smallest metropolis, Oslo Gin is composed, refined and complexly spiced with juniper, birch leaves, coriander, elderflower and angelica root. Bivrost Arctic Gin: Handcrafted under the glow of the Northern Lights, at the foot of the majestic Lyngen Alps.

FINLAND

ICELAND For decades, Icelanders have enjoyed the juniper delights of gin. Unfortunately, much of what they consumed was imported rather than crafted on their magical island nation. The first ‘true’ Icelandic gin only launched in 2010, but since then the country has seen a surge of interest in gin distillation. While there are only a handful of licensed distilleries in Iceland today, it’s still an exciting place for ginnovation! If you want to drink your way through Scandinavia, you simply can’t go past some of Iceland’s best gin offerings. Highlights Stuðlaberg Gin: Made in the London Dry style, Stuðlaberg is made with the finest ingredients combined with pure Icelandic spring water, recognised for its unrivalled purity. Ólafsson Gin: An homage to 18th century explorer Eggert Ólafsson, the gin’s Arctic thyme, Icelandic moss and birch botanicals harmonise to create a deliciously complex gin.

Gin plays a remarkably strong role in Finland’s drinking culture. In fact, their national drink, lonkero – or “the long drink” – is a carbonated mixture of gin and grapefruit soda. Dating back to the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, lonkero even has a cult following across the United States. But fear not, gin aficionados, because gin isn’t just a quaffable base for sweet carbonated mixers – Finland is also renowned for crafting some phenomenally pure gins that go just as well in a Martini as they do consumed neat. Highlights

Kyrö Napue Gin: An IWSC winner, Napue’s key components are deeply rooted in the very heart of Finnish nature. Arctic Blue Navy Strength Gin: Opening a bottle of this remarkable gin is like walking through a wild bilberry forest on a misty morning in Finland.

COCKTAILS FROM SCANDINAVIA It’s time to get the fire roaring (or switch on the heater), sit back in your comfiest chair and enjoy one of these tantalising tipples from our friends at Nordic Gin House.

Nordic Martini There’s a reason this classic has stood the test of time.

6 0 M L K Ø B E N H AV N K L A S S I S K G I N 50ML DRY VERMOUTH LEMON ZEST Stir together gin and vermouth in a mixer glass with cubed ice for 12–15 seconds. Pour into a Martini-style glass and garnish with lemon zest.

Strawberry Gin Spritz A summery surprise when you need to forget about winter.

3 0 M L K Ø B E N H AV N K L A S S I S K G I N 30ML APEROL 20ML LEMON JUICE 10ML SUGAR SYRUP 3-4 STRAWBERRIES CLUB SODA Add gin, Aperol, lemon juice and sugar syrup to a shaker and shake with lots of ice. Fill up a balloon glass with ice and strain the cocktail into the glass. Top off with club soda and add a few sliced strawberries. Give it a good stir and garnish with fresh mint.

Corpse Reviver For when you need to take more than just the edge off.

2 5 M L K Ø B E N H AV N N AV Y S T R E N G T H G I N 25ML LILLET BLANC 25ML TRIPLE SEC 25ML LEMON JUICE 25ML ABSINTHE D E H Y D R AT E D L E M O N W H E E L Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with dehydrated lemon wheel.

Juniper-palooza 22

“With København Klassisk Gin carrying one of the highest levels of juniper berries in the world, it delivers flavour the original way.” — Jakob Vallentin, Founder & Managing Director at Nordic Gin House

Your refined palate will thank you for it.

CPH Fizz

5 0 M L K Ø B E N H AV N K L A S S I S K L O U N G E G I N 20ML AMARO 20ML LEMON JUICE 20ML GRAPEFRUIT JUICE 20ML ROSEMARY SYRUP S O D A W AT E R EGG WHITE FRESH THYME Dry shake gin, amaro, lemon juice, grapefruit juice, rosemary syrup and egg white to activate the foam from the egg white. Add ice and shake until frozen on the outside. Strain the cocktail into your preferred fizz glass, and top off with soda – garnish with fresh thyme.

Are you up for a heavy juniper kick? Try København Klassisk Gin with Fever-Tree Aromatic Tonic and garnished with juniper berries! G&T

The Ginsiders

This edition of the Ginsider is double the fun with TWO Gin Society members. We sit down with travel-bug Danielle Murnane and Australian women’s wheelchair basketball coach Craig Campbell to hear all about their love affair with our favourite spirit.

aig

Danielle and Cr

What do you like about gin as a spirit? There’s a gin for every occasion and every palate. It’s very rare that anyone says they don’t like gin when you offer them one – or maybe that’s just the company we keep! What attracts you to a gin? The different flavours that are drawn out by the many botanicals that are different in each gin. You never know what you are going to get. What does your personal gin collection look like? Diverse and constantly growing! In addition to our regular top-ups with some of our favourites that the Gin Society has introduced us to (Bobby’s, Audemus Pink Pepper, Brogan’s Way) we like to sample different gins when away from home. Often a bottle or two will make their way into our collection. We recently did a tasting at Bellarine Distillery and a bottle of Teddy & The Fox made its way home with us. That brought our collection up to around 30 different bottles.

Do you have a go-to garnish or mixer? We initially mixed with the cheaper-brand tonics and then tried Fever-Tree and CAPI. They improved the flavour 100%.

“

In summer we always have citrus on hand, and you’ll often find freshly squeezed mandarin or clementine mixed in with a tall G&T.”

What are your three desert-island gins? Bobby’s Schiedam Dry Gin – it was our first Gin Society bottle and got us hooked. We love it garnished with a wedge of orange and cloves, or lime. Plymouth Sloe Gin – super refreshing on a hot summer’s day as a Gin Fizz. Little Juniper from South Australia – we’d keep our fingers crossed that the desert island would have an abundance of mint, limes and ginger beer to mix up some Lil Mules.

If you could travel anywhere in the world to sample gin, where would it be? With so many places to visit, we’d struggle to say just one, so for us it would have to be a little closer to home. A road trip through regional Victoria to sample Animus (Kyneton), Reed & Co. (Bright), Four Pillars (Healesville) and then finish up at Cappella (Yarra Valley). We love a road trip, so along with our hobby of gin tasting we could also partake in our other hobby of eating and trying out the local produce and restaurants of the region. What’s your go-to gin-based cocktail? G&T, for sure. It’s easy, tasty and ready to go in seconds. However, a cocktail that takes a bit more time to create and that we absolutely love is a Bae Watch with Bobby’s Schiedam Dry Gin. What do you like most about the Gin Society? We love opening up the package for the surprise that awaits us, and then getting straight into the cocktail suggestions for the month. What started as a birthday present at the beginning of Melbourne’s long COVID lockdowns has turned into a great hobby!

“

Any particular gins you’re enjoying at the moment? We’ve just discovered Method & Madness from Ireland and it’s quickly becoming a favourite. The flavours from the black lemon and Irish gorse flower mean you don’t even need a garnish – just straight gin and Fever-Tree Indian Tonic with a large ice cube. Perfection!

“The cocktail that we absolutely love is a Bae Watch with Bobby’s Schiedam Dry Gin. Bae Watch Recipe

40mL Bobby’s Schiedam Dry Gin 20mL De Kuyper Peachtree Liqueur (if needed, swap out for Peach Schnapps) 30mL fresh lemon juice 20mL kaffir lime leaf syrup Combine ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker, shake to combine. Fine-strain and serve straight up in a chilled Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with bay leaf.

TIP: To make kaffir lime leaf syrup, add 6 kaffir lime leaves to a sugar syrup mix (1 cup water + 1 cup white sugar). Bring to the boil then remove from heat and let stand for around 4 hours. Remove the leaves and it’s ready to go!

Teddy & The Fox Bellarine Gin

Brogan’s Way Hearts Afire Gin

GINSIDERS

Teddy & The Fox is a small batched and handcrafted on the Bellarine. The gin itself is an aromatic blend of 6 botanicals, juniper, coriander, orange, lemon myrtle, orris root and star anise. It has strong citrus characteristics with orange and lemon myrtle coming to the fore. It is highly regarded as a sipping gin but also makes a great G&T. ABV 42% Visit www.bellarinedistillery.com.au

This modern dry gin is a complex balance of nutmeg, cloves and aniseed myrtle blended beautifully with sweet orange peel, lilli-pilli and cassia. Like a deep embrace, it is sure to warm the soul. Every ingredient has a purpose – to make the moment more memorable. The way it should be. ABV 42% Visit www.ginsociety.com

Danielle and Craig’s Gin List Plymouth Sloe Gin Plymouth Sloe Gin is a truly traditional English liqueur, made to a recipe we first used in 1883. Its intensity and richness is the result of using high strength Plymouth Gin which extracts the maximum flavour from the sloe berries, many of which grow wild on nearby Dartmoor. Distilled from grain. ABV 26% Visit www. danmurphys.com.au

Little Juniper Signature Gin

Method and Madness Gin The first gin to be introduced within the popular Method & Madness range which has been created by the masters and apprentices from the Midleton Distillery in Co.Cork. 16 botanicals including black lemon and Irish gorse flower have been microdistilled in the oldest pot still in Ireland, resulting in a gin with distinctive herbal and citrus notes. ABV 43% Visit www.firstchoiceliquor.com.au

Pink Pepper Gin

Bobby’s Schiedam Dry Gin Bobby’s Gin is a refined expression of Dutch Courage fuelled with Indonesian spirit. A fresh and spiceforward combination of ‘Schiedam’ gin botanicals like juniper, fennel seeds, coriander, rose hips, and traditional Indonesian spices from grandfather Jacobus ‘Bobby’ Alfons’ Pinang Raci recipe, like lemongrass, cloves, cinnamon, and cubeb pepper. ABV 42% Visit www.ginsociety.com

Little Juniper Signature Gin is a small batch, handcrafted, 100% organic gin, designed for flavour and sustainability. 21 organic botanicals are blended to create a harmony of flavours that dance on your tongue. Proudly produced in South Australia. ABV 42% Visit www.ginsociety.com

Gin made in a glass still (RotoVap). Distilled at very low temperature and pressure. An intensely aromatic and bold gin. Bright and spicy notes of pink peppercorns and juniper, balanced with the warmth of honey, tonka and vanilla. Pink Pepper Gin is handcrafted and intricately designed to evolve over time, both in the glass and in the bottle. ABV 44% Visit www.ginsociety.com

THE GINSIDERS GIN LIST Teddy & Fox Gin: https://www.bellarinedistillery.com.au/ Hearts Afire Gin: https://brogansway.com.au/ Plymouth Sloe Gin: https://www.plymouthgin.com/ Little Juniper Signature Gin: https://www.littlejuniper.com.au/ Method & Madness Gin: https://www.methodandmadnesswhiskey.com/ Pink Pepper Gin: https://audemus-spirits.com/ Bobby’s Schiedam Gin: https://bobbysdrygin.com/

#GINSHELFIES Our hunt to find some of Australia’s best home gin bars was a huge success! Take a look at all of the fantastic entries over the next few pages. A big congratulations to Matt Reed, Zac Luke and Lara Mary who each won themselves three bottles of our gins!

F I G GIN

South Australia

MIL M ED ITERRANE A N G IN Ireland

https://milgin.com/

ed! Matt Re s n o i t a tul Congra

S HE E P W HE Y GIN Tasmania

https://hartshorndistillery.com.au/

EL EPH AN T L O ND O N DR Y GI N Germany

https://elephant-gin.com/

F O UR P I LL A RS F R E S H Y UZU GIN Victoria

https://www.fourpillarsgin.com/

PRO HIBIT IO N S HIRA Z BA RRE L A GE D GIN South Australia

https://prohibitionliquor.co/

B IL L SO N’ S A L FR ED ’ S PECU L IA R GI N Victoria https://billsons.com.au//

Luke! c a Z s ion atulat r g n o C

P OR TOFINO DRY G IN Italy

https://www.portofinogin.com/

Congratula tions Lara Mary!

SIPSMITH L O N DO N DR Y GI N England

https://sipsmith.com/

JAG’S DESERT ISLAND GINS

Have you got a gin shelf that you would love to share? Simply email hello@ginsociety. com and we will feature it in the next Gin Journal.

WHATEVER YOUR GIN WE’VE GOT JUST . THE IF

O F YO U R D R I N K I S T H E M I X E R ,

M I X W I T H T H E B E ST

The Nordic Gin List MUST-TRY

NORDIC GINS

From the land of fire and ice (Iceland) to the serene and industrious Denmark, Scandinavia is home to many a craft distillery producing spirits of the highest calibre. We round up seven noteworthy gins straight from the Nordics. 36

Photo by Norris Niman on Unsplash

ICELAND

VOR ICELANDIC POT DISTILLED GIN

“VOR”, which is Icelandic for spring, is Iceland’s f irst and only premium pot distilled gin. Made f rom 100% organic Icelandic barley grown at the arctic circle in a cold climate, resulting in a hardy and full flavoured base, Vor extend their local approach to ensure all the botanicals are seasonal, handpicked and native to Iceland. 47% ABV https://www.vorgin.is/

HAMNØY, NORWAY

HARAHORN SMALL BATCH NORWEGIAN GIN COPENHAGEN DISTILLERY: ANGELICA GIN

Scandinavian and British traditions meet in this all-organic London gin. Aquavit’s dill and caraway balance gin’s juniper with angelica, turmeric and pink pepper. A ref reshing water of life - f rom both sides of the North Sea. Iceland moss and birch leaves. 43% ABV https://www.copenhagendistillery.com/

Crowned the 2019 ‘Gin Of The Year’ at the 2019 USA Spirits Ratings Competition. Made exclusively f rom berries f rom Norway and named after a mountain in Hemsedal, but also inspired by the story of a hare with horns (hence the rogue rabbit on the label). The botanical list includes juniper berries f rom Røros, blueberries f rom Nordmarka, rhubarb and bladderwrack f rom Grimstad, angelica f rom Oppdal and wild marjoram f rom Sunndal. 46% ABV https://harahorngin.com/

Photo by Kym Ellis on Unsplash

ISFJORD PREMIUM ARCTIC GIN

This new super-premium gin f rom the Arctics has already proven to be in the absolute world league of gins. Distilled with the f inest botanicals. Carefully well balanced with a full scent of juniper berries, making way for lemongrass and the soft tones of angelica root, a little touch of cardamom, spicy notes f rom the mysterious sandalwood, and ending with a slightly sweet and bitter tone of orange. Not to mention the remarkable smoothness f rom distilling with iceberg water f rom Greenland. ABV 44% https://www.isfjord.com/gin

KYRÖ GIN

Kyrö Gin is inspired by wild nature, with four locally foraged botanicals and 13 traditional gin botanicals. Kyrö Gin’s key components are deeply rooted in the very heart of Finnish nature - whenever you want to enjoy the brightness and f reshness of Finnish summer, pop open your Kyrö Gin. Enjoy your vegan and gluten-f ree Kyrö Gin & Tonic with plenty of ice, a few cranberries, a sprig of rosemary, and Fever-Tree Indian Tonic. 46.3% ABV https://kyrodistillery.com/

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

EXTRAVAGANT

LYDÉN DISTILLERY CASK GIN

This cask gin, which has been inspired by the forests of Småland, has been allowed to mature in only f ive 30-litre barrels made of oaks f rom Småland. The result – an incredibly smooth sipping gin, with a dominant taste f rom juniper and a well-balanced taste f rom oak, which contributes both color and sweetness. 46% ABV https://www.lydendistillery.com/

Elegant EXTRAVAGANT AND

HERNÖ SIPPING GIN #1.5 EX-BRÄNNLAND ICE CIDER CASK

A tremendous addition to Hernö’s Sipping Gin series! This expression spent 60 days resting in casks originally used for maturing Sauternes wine, then adopted by specialists in making Swedish dessert wine style ice cider Brännland Iscider, before f inally being passed on to the gang at Hernö. As you can tell f rom the name – no mixer required here, it’s intended for sipping, so you can enjoy all the wonderful intricacies of the cask f inish. A total of 1,450 bottles were produced for this 2021 release. ABV 45.1% https://hernogin.com/

GIN LIBRARY READ ALL ABOUT GIN

What’s in the Gin Society Library?

THE WEIRD AND WONDERFUL STORY OF GIN

by Angela Youngman (Booktopia $38.50) Gin is a global alcoholic drink that has polarised opinion like no other, and its history has been a roller coaster, alternating between being immensely popular and utterly unfashionable. The Weird and Wonderful Story of Gin explores the exciting, interesting and downright curious aspects of the drink, with crime, murder, poisons, fires, dramatic accidents, artists, legends and disasters all playing a part. These dark themes are also frequently used to promote brands and drinks.

GIN DISTILLED:

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR GIN LOVERS

by founders of Junipalooza The Gin Foundry (Amazon $19.25) The perfect accompaniment to a gin & tonic, Gin Foundry have poured their expertise into one succinct expert read. Includes The modern history of gin; How gin is made; What to look for when choosing gin; Deciphering gin labels; How to taste gin; Gin Foundry’s botanical flavour wheel; Gin styles; Best cocktails for different gin styles; Fruit gins and infusions; The perfect gin & tonic; Gin Foundry’s garnish/gin pairing guide. Plus much more...

CRAFT GIN MAKING

by Rachel Hicks and Andrew Parsons (Amazon $40.41) Craft Gin Making is a detailed guide to entering the world of gin production. For beginners and experienced producers alike, it offers key insights and practical advice on what you need to get started and how to progress in this fascinating and growing craft. Topics covered include a brief history of gin and gin making; the tools, equipment and ingredients needed for the different methods of producing gin.

FEVER-TREE EASY MIXING

by Fever-Tree Limited (Amazon $25.25) A new super-speedy and easy collection of delicious mixed drinks from the world’s leading premium mixer brand. From the world’s leading premium mixer brand, FeverTree Easy Mixing: More than 150 Quick and Delicious Mixed Drinks and Cocktails, is Fever-Tree’s follow up to the bestselling Art of Mixing. With clever variations on the classic gin and tonic to a selection of spritzes, mules and mojitos, to some nifty no-and-low alcohol alternatives and a handful of pitchers for when the party really gets started, Fever-Tree Easy Mixing celebrates how easy it is for anyone to enjoy quick and delicious drinks at home.

Grab your G&T and have a listen to this great PODCAST

BASE SPIRIT MATTERS IN GIN

Distillers should be making the base spirit for their gin from scratch if they want to be considered craft or artisan producers, according to Hurdle Creek Still founder Simon Brooke-Taylor. In this episode of the Drinks Adventures podcast Simon discusses Hurdle Creek’s gin, jenever, liqueurs and aperitifs that champion locally sourced ingredients. S10E6 https://drinksadventures.com.au/

HURDLE CREEK STIL L RANGE

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