Inside every bottle of gin is a unique combination of ingredients, all brought together through distillation. To find out what you love in your favorite brand of gin, it helps to understand the ingredients and botanicals that might be influencing its flavor.
Let’s take a look at gin and the popular botanicals that make it what it is.
What is Inside Gin?
These popular ingredients can be found in bottles of gin everywhere you go, and chances are you even prefer certain combinations over others.
A Neutral Spirit
All gin starts its life as a neutral spirit, which is a potent, unflavored alcohol. A neutral spirit can be made from a wide range of sources, including grains, grapes, corn, or anything else that can be fermented and turned into alcohol.
These spirits are the base of gin, presenting the perfect blank canvas for distillers to paint with their own unique flavors.
Juniper Berries
Despite their name, juniper berries are actually not considered berries at all. In reality, juniper berries are a type of spice that can be found growing on conifers. Filled with essential oils and known for their antioxidant properties, these female seed cones are popular in cooking and when making gin.
Juniper berries aren’t just botanicals–they are the botanical in gin.
Other Popular Botanicals
If you have had more than one brand of gin, you have probably noticed that they can taste very different. More often than not, this comes down to the botanicals that are added during the distillation process.
Choosing botanicals is a personal preference, but there are some popular options, including:
- Angelica root
- Citrus peels
- Coriander
- Cardamom
- Flowers
The way that botanicals combine can have a huge impact on the final flavor. While citrus adds a bright and vibrant flavor, roots and spices can settle the flavor with a nice contrast. At the end of the day, botanicals are used to create a delicious balance of taste in every bottle.
Our award-winning gin uses angelica root, rose petals, star anise, and lemon peels to create a sweet and floral finish you won’t find anywhere else!
