No matter what gin you are looking to enjoy, every variant is flavoured with botanicals. Gins are neutral spirit flavoured, using compounding or distillation techniques, with juniper as well as seeds, berries, roots, fruits and herbs.
The botanicals, the flavours, the method by which it is made and how it is distilled, even the garnish you choose can alter the taste of a gin. To help you understand some of the different botanicals which are used in gin, as well as their importance to flavour, we have put together this guide for you.
Juniper Berries
The main botanical included, juniper berries, are fragrant and spicy, with a bittersweet taste and overtones of pine and lavender. They’re actually technically cones with tightly packed intersecting leaves, with over 50 different variants of them being produced across the globe. To officially be classed as a gin, a spirit must taste predominantly of juniper, which is why it is so important that they are included.
Lemon
Many gin cocktails have a lemon twist, when the lemon peel is dried before infusion and distillation. Once distilled, the smell is initially reminiscent of candied lemon peel and is very fresh, intense and almost candy-like, depending on the amount of lemon included. Two of the most popular gins on the market, Gordon’s and Beefeater’s, both contain lemon peel among their botanicals.
Coriander
The spicy and floral aroma that gins often have is often due to coriander, the seeds of the Cilantro plant. Depending on the quality of the seed used, the flavour of the gin can either be more fruity and other times spicier. The plant has a complex flavour once distilled, with the flavour being a mixture of citrus, nutty and a little spicy. Coriander plays a central role in the gin world, and is the second most used botanical after juniper.
Rosemary
This woody, perennial herb is piney and fresh with a savoury feel - being incredibly popular in the gin world. This divine smelling herb adds an increased sweetness and a long finish to a gin, becoming used more often in Gin production. The herb’s oily quality and strong scent makes it the perfect botanical - which is sure to add a gorgeous flavour to your gin.
Cassia Bark
This classic gin botanical adds warm and spicy flavours and is almost the equivalent of cinnamon. However, it is sweeter than cinnamon - with a liquorice-like flavour - and emits a fiery scent. It is a very popular botanical with Bombay Sapphire, Martin Miller’s, Opihr, Sipsmith, Oxley, Bulldog and Botanist - to name just a few. Typically, the flavour is more prominent towards the end when tasting gin, as opposed to its fragrance.
About Vemacity
We are a pair of the biggest gin lovers - with our business being born out of our passion for great gin. At Vemacity, we have designed specialist barware that will create really memorable experiences for you and those closest to you.
If you would like any more information regarding our range of G&T glasses, please do not hesitate to visit the Vemacity website today. We also have a dedicated FAQ page which may be able to help you if you have any questions regarding our Copa glasses sets.