If you happen to be looking for a Gin that will taste great AND contributes to conservation of Elephants in Africa then look no further than Elephant Gin. (If you’re looking for a Gin that supports other animals, you’ll have to go elsewhere.)
Elephant Gin is the brainchild of Tessa Wienker, Robin Gerlach and Henry Palmer, who all spent time working with elephants in Africa.
They decided they wanted to do more for the wildlife that they had fallen in love with, and so returned home to create Elephant Gin, with 15% of the price of every bottle going towards conservation trusts in Africa.
So far they have donated €350,000 to Big Life Foundation, Space for Elephants and The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
Elephant Gin is also incredibly international, being based in Germany and drawing inspiration from Africa.
It is made up of 14 botanicals, many of which are native to Africa itself. These include juniper, cassia bark, ginger, mountain pine, orange peel, pimento, elderflower, lavender, baobob, buchu, lion’s tail, African wormwood, devil’s claw and apple.
That’s quite a collection, and somewhat of a step away from more common botanicals such as angelica and cardamom.
This is a really interesting selection of botanicals and makes for an even more interesting Gin. Their Elehpant Strength Gin is the navy strength version and is bottled at 57% ABV.
Elephant Strength Gin opens with lots of ginger and juniper. There is a slightly warming sense to it.
Some of the more exotic botanicals result in a spicy note coming through, all underpinned with a subtle floral flavour. The orange peel appears with a slight tang to it
On the palate, the elderflower and lavender come through with more strength. They are delicate and soft.
Again, there is a beautiful warmth to this Gin and a brilliant hint of spice throughout. It is comforting and almost homely.
The interesting mix of botanicals makes for a really rich flavour profile, with lots going on. Juniper melts into pine needles, while orange peel and ginger float up to counteract some of the duller notes and the floral flavours add an earthy refinement to everything.
The finish is strong and lasting, with lots of ginger and spice.
Simply put, this is a brilliant Gin, with lots of interesting things going on. It’s an added bonus of course that you can contribute to a charitable cause with every bottle!
