The Botanist - Gin Diaries pt4
And now for a bit of time travel, back to 1881 in Islay,
Scotland. Three brothers from the whisky-making
Harvey family decided to form their own distillery – Bruichladdich (brookh-LAD-dee). Over the
decades, single malt whiskeys were the product choice.
Did someone say “gin”...?
In 2011 the distillers stepped outside their comfort zone
and introduced a gin to their lineup, The Botanist. The gin is named for two extremely busy and
quite possibly overworked botanists that gather 22 locally sourced wild Islay
botanicals. These botanicals are combined
with the 9 classic gin aromatics, forming what I find to be a truly world-class
spirit…!
These 31 botanicals manage to remain balanced and structured
on the palate. Citrus and floral notes
keep things fresh, and spice is well integrated into the long finish. There is a real harmony here, despite the
complexity of ingredients. The nose is
also a thing of beauty, with delicate aromas weaving together and delighting
the senses.
Other factors lending unique qualities to this gin, a sense
of place if you will, are the use of Islay spring water, and the slow
distillation process in a rare and aged Lomond Still, christened Ugly Betty.
Classic…!
Bottom line? This is
an excellent spirit for the gin aficionados out there. Well worth a try and highly recommended…!
Oh, and for those 31 botanicals, here they are: angelica root, apple mint, birch leaves, bog
myrtle leaves, cassia bark, chamomile, cinnamon bark, coriander seed, creeping
thistle flowers, elder flowers, gorse flowers, heather flowers, hawthorn
flowers, juniper berries, lardy's bedstraw flowers, lemon balm, lemon peel,
liquorice root, meadow sweet, orange peel, oris root, peppermint leaves,
mugwort leaves, red clover flowers, tansy, thyme leaves, water mint leaves,
white clover, wood sage leaves.
Cheers…!
Marty Feldmann, The Connoisseur, is the
highly sought after consultant who assists businesses and individual clients
with the acquisition of the finer things life has to offer. Whether you are planning a weekend getaway to
wine country, selecting audio equipment to outfit your home, planning your
dream vacation or purchasing your ultimate transportation, Marty is your
personal connection to the good life…
Marty can be contacted at: 916.952.9529 Marty@ConnoisseurCorner.com