Rock Rose Winter Edition brings a delicious piney flavour into the Rock Rose Original Gin.
The distillers envisaged long walks, roaring fires and dark Scottish winters as they set about making this new addition to the Dunnet Bay line up.
Showing that premium Gins can be made in even the wildest corners of the world this Gin hails from the northernmost reaches of Scotland.
Martin and Claire Murray and their dog George, who is fondly referred to as ‘the boss’, are the masterminds behind Rock Rose.
Setting up in rural northern Scotland must have been a challenge, but it hasn’t stopped this dynamic trio and they’re copper still, called Elizabeth, in which this flavoursome Winter Edition was created.
The Murray’s hava a biodome in which they grow some of their choice botanicals. Similar to a green house, this allows them to create eco systems and sustainable growth all year round.
In this Gin spruce tips are the main difference between the winter edition and original. There are 18 other botanicals, including: juniper, cardamom, coriander seed,rhodiola rosea, rowan berries, sea buckthorn, blaeberries and verbena amongst others.
The Gin is stored in a beautiful bottle wrapped in delicate writing and the twisting outlines of trees with bare branches.
It has a gloriously earthy taste which permeates right through to its core and makes this a real stand out spirit. This is a Gin that is reminiscent of nights snuggled up on the sofa, walks in beautiful scenery and time spent on the wild side of life.
The nose is full of juniper, but there is a warming earthy pine resonating deeper within. The two flavours mingle together in a beautiful soaring harmony of flavour.
The rhodola rosea adds a wonderfully floral note. This goes hand in hand with the earthy juniper.
The palate is bold with strident notes of piney warmth bursting to taste, there is still a strong juniper element here, but it rightly gives way a little to allow the spruce tips to truly shine.
These two flavours begin to die down, allowing a fine note of citrus to enter the scene.
The citrus is full of flavour and bounces off the somewhat more subtle floral flavours. The harmonious combination of these opposing notes makes for a really interesting Gin.
The finish is more feeling than taste, a cosy warmth settles in with a peppery finale and a lovely ending on pine needles.
If your looking for a Gin with excellent flavour as well as something a little different Rock Rose’s Winter Edition is excellent.