Gin 1689 Dutch Dry Gin (Mini) 5cl
Gin 1689 This gin is based on an original recipe (from 1689.... hence the name!), by the Dutch William of Orange after he was proclaimed King of England, Ireland and Scotland in 1689. Through painstaking research in the Royal British Library's rare book section, this recipe came to light after being found in the rare books archive. The recipe detailed the original ingredients, but unfortunately the quantities were concealed by code, which to date has not been broken! Not to be deterred, the rights of the recipe were acquired, and a perfect partner found to recreate the delicate flavours of the original gin: Herman Jansen. One of the Netherlands finest distillers, the distillery was founded in 1777 and based in the Dutch Gin & Genever capital Schiedam. Through trial and error, today's recipe was perfected and finalised. The original ingredients from 350 years ago are used, with Gin 1689 beautifully combining juniper with dried quince and pippin (an ancient apple variety), lemon and orange peel, nutmeg, aniseed and clove. It's quite fruity on the nose, but not surprising when you see the recipe. Juniper is present, but takes more of a background role, with a sweet spiciness, and a touch of citrus being much more pronounced. As with all gins, the taste differs when drinking straight (neat, over ice), or with a tonic. When tried neat, the juniper comes forward in the taste with a pleasant tanginess (coming from the quince and apple). Citrus notes are present, but more round the gin off than being too prevalent. When tried with tonic, this really comes alive as the carbonation (bubbles), lift the botanicals allowing more to shine. The citrus is more noticeable when drunk this way. Coming in a brilliant blue bottle, with regal gold lettering befitting its Royal background, the overall result is definitely fit for a King! Read more about Gin 1689 Perfect Serve Try sipping this gin neat over ice to really appreciate the recipe, and time taken to bring this gin back to life. If enjoying as a G&T we recommend Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water. 50ml of gin to 150ml of tonic is a good ratio to work with, but feel free to adjust to your taste. Garnish with a slice of orange and a few juniper berries.
