The Botanist is similarly complex but has a subtler nose. It features pine, roots and woody notes and has a bigger, warmer finish than Drumshanbo Gunpowder. Gunpowder Gin works extremely well in citrus drinks like the Tom Collins, the Gimlet, the Bronx and even the Hot Toddy. Gunpowder Gin is a modern or contemporary gin. It is not heavily juniper centered and it features the botanical meadowsweet, local to Drumshanbo, Ireland. Distilling Method Towards the end though, it turns sweet and spicy/herbal. Anise and cardamom are subtly and expertly played in here. Meadowsweet, especially late and towards the finish lends its a honeyed, vanilla-like nuance. Drumshanbo Irish Gunpowder Gin has a fresh, herby, citrus heavy aroma with notes of green tea and star anise. Grapefruit, is the initial flavor followed by juniper then tea, finishing with herby, warm spices of anise, cardamom and coriander.

If you don’t have gunpowder tea on hand, it’s ok to skip it. Or, feel free to experiment with a complex green tea you might have on hand. London Dry Gin: The old guard brands mostly distill London Dry-style gin in the UK, although it does not actually have a geographical indicator. The main rules of this designation are that juniper must be the dominant flavor (as it is for all gin) and botanicals must flavor the gin during distillation, with no flavor or color added afterwards. Brands like Beefeater and Tanqueray are classics for a reason, but the world of gin has expanded enormously over the past 20 years as new distilleries tinker with the formula.Gunpowder'... gunpowder tea, which is a rolled green tea, and rather delicious. This was the reason I bought this bottle initially. The tea flavor in this gin is nothing short of perfect. It is very well balanced with the other flavor notes and does well neat, which is the only way I drink. Might be a fantastic mixer for green tea-style drinks, but I won't find myself doing that... The finish is is delightfully long and peppery with a nice warming throat feel. Who Might Like Drumshanbo Irish Gunpowder Gin?

Now let’s get into some drinks I’ve mixed up using Gunpowder. These use very simple ingredients, with huge reward. Gin Drink Recipes & Highball Ideas from Gin Boss Perfect Paloma Gunpowder Tea is so called because each tea leaf has been rolled into a small ball, reminiscent of gunpowder. It’s usually made with green tea leaves and it’s that special ingredient that gives Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin its name. The combination of botanicals though somewhat eccentric is well balanced. The green tea is at the fore. Gunpowder Gin does justice to its namesake. However, where this really stands out for me is how it balances the botanicals. Enough juniper for classic gin fans, but also heavy on the citrus and herbs, without overpowering each other.

Kaffir lime, oriental grapefruit, Chinese Lemon and Gunpowder tea are added to the vapor basket for a more delicate release of flavors. Alcohol Percentage of Gunpowder Irish Gin For the final botanical bouquet, Rigney chose 12 botanicals, fruits, and spices, including the aforementioned green tea as well as ingredients like Moroccan orris root, Indian cardamom, and Macedonian juniper. Even with a mini-U.N. spice cabinet, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin throws in one more highly local ingredient: meadowsweet from the town of Drumshanbo itself. Meadowsweet lends a delicate floral sweetness to the overall bouquet, complementing the green tea notes. 4. The Drumshanbo Mascot is a Drinker, Too. Slowly dried Chinese green tea is blended with eight botanicals and three types of citrus to create a smooth gin with bold and fresh flavors.

Now let’s get into my full review, and as always, we’ll begin with how it tastes neat. What does Gunpowder Gin Taste Like, Neat? Taste Gunpowder Gin Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin is quite literally a “slow gin.” Despite how efficiently gin can be produced, Rigney intentionally slows the process, combining the two major gin distilling methods. Rigney combines vapor distillation of fresh Chinese lemons, kaffir limes, and Oriental grapefruits, along with the intriguing gunpowder tea, with the pot-still distillation of eight other botanicals ranging from Chinese star anise to local Drumshanbo meadowsweet. The gin is then rested for up to 30 days, allowing the oils to settle, after which it undergoes a very light cold filtration. It’s an extra step, but it’s essential for Rigney’s ideal flavor profile: Certain botanicals go bitter if you boil them. Add to that the fact that it’s all done in medieval-style copper stills (the increased copper surface area acts to “purify” the flavors) and you’ve got a serious labor of love. Every precious drop of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin is slow-distilled by hand and proudly bottled, sealed, and labelled by the team in the distillery. 7. You’re Drinking a Love Story. This cookie is set by Rubicon Project to control synchronization of user identification and exchange of user data between various ad services.Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin explodes with flavor on the palate. Citrus once again dominates. This time its grapefruit. Juniper and green tea are present mid-palate: the juniper herbaceous and bright, the green tea calling to mind Jasmine green tea, as you might get before sushi at a Japanese restaurant.

Oriental botanicals"... this caught my eye, as my favorite gin is currently of Irish brew (Glendalough) and sourced locally. I haven't dug too far into this, nor am I seasoned enough to speak to it, but I'm surprised that Drumshanbo being so close to the Shannon hasn't elicited a more local source; anywho, Rigney was a traveler I suppose so that lends to the brand. Gunpowder Gin excels as a mixing gin despite it’s seemingly ostentatious botanical blend. It’s smooth enough for a Martini, while flavorful enough to stand out in a Gin and Juice. If that seems like high praise— it indeed is. Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin is a delightful, well-balanced, but botanically loud contemporary style gin— that doesn’t forget its roots and the juniper.

More Alternatives…

Bombay Sapphire tastes closer to a London Dry than Gunpowder. It is even more citrus forward with the lemon leading the way. Its nose is more floral and earthy than herbal. It has more heat in the finish with balanced citrus and spice. It’s a story of East meets West along with a few places in between. And in this review, I’ll tell you exactly why the end result is not only harmonious, but Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish has earned a seat at the table of Super Power Gins.