Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, 70cl

Product Information

Inspired by the volcanic coastal geology of Northern Ireland, Giants Basalt Rock Gin uses water filtered through basalt rock (the same stuff that makes up the famous Giant's Causeway) as well as botanicals such as kombu and sea buckthorn. Nor is that just token eclecticism; Drumshanbo is about bringing the journey home, quite literally bottling the fruits of discovery of a curious mind.

It might sound easy to get lost in a dozen botanicals, but the specific green tea Rigney chose for the gin lends a distinctive note to the final flavor, unique in the gin world, where juniper is more often primarily complemented by things like citrus, cucumber, and spice. It features 12 organic and wild botanicals such as pine needles, cubeb berries, orange and lemon peel and sea pink maritima (a small purple flower) from local islands.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. The gin:tonic ratio for the signature Drumshanbo gin and tonic serve is 40:140 which, by our reckoning, is a touch over triple the tonic to gin. Or something else in common with him if your given name also includes the words “His Serene Highness,” or you went to Amherst College). Gunpowder’s distinct tea flavor is a natural good pairing with fruit jams straight from your fridge. Throughout the year, you’ll see beautiful gift boxes with various offerings and limited edition bottle designs.

It’s usually made with green tea leaves and it’s that special ingredient that gives Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin its name. No doubt Rigney’s glad to be part of the Irish gin boom, but the 30-year entrepreneurial veteran founded his distillery just as much to create economic opportunity in the town and surrounding County Leitrim as to make some damn good gin.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. Floral on the nose, lite lemon and green tea on the tongue for a moment and so smooth with a hint of spice on the finish. The Drumshanbo distillery highlights 3 smart variations on the Gin and Tonic, a gimlet variation and a martini.

It features a selection of 9 botanicals, including rosemary, elderflower, lemon and mandarin, as well as Champagne essence. Slow distilled by hand in medieval copper pot stills at The Shed Distillery, this flagship creation of the curious mind, combines the 8 pot still and 4 vapour infused botanicals collected on PJ’s journey from China back to Drumshanbo with the fresh citrus, and the ever intriguing Chinese gunpowder tea. Once the whiskey operation gets going (something like 250,000 liters a year), don’t expect Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin to disappear; it’s far too popular.It may be the golden child of contemporary gins but the first note that sprung out offensively at me, was the floor cleaner PineSol.

The latest addition to the FECKiN range, this FECKiN Gin is made with just five feckin' botanicals; angelica root, cassia bark, coriander, juniper and lemons.After 4 martinis (not all at once), all I can report is that it has a nice citrus hit, it’s smooth and it has little to no tail. He created The Shed Distillery of PJ Rigney, with its medieval copper pot stills, and began a quest to fuse oriental botanicals with the local Irish ones. To make it, they age their excellent Boatyard Double Gin in bourbon barrels, then sweeten it with Fermanagh honey. The “gunpowder” in the Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin name refers to Chinese gunpowder green tea, one of the four botanicals that are vapor-distilled into the gin (after it’s been pot-distilled with eight others). While citrus juices are an easy win, white cranberry and pink lemonade are delicious mixers with gunpowder gin.