What defines the best Irish Gins? We look at some of the best Irish gins on the market in.
There is an never ending amount of great Irish Gins coming on to the market at the moment. Some of these Gins come from the original Distilleries of Ireland and many are coming from new distilleries popping up on the Island of Ireland. As there has been such a boom in Irish Whiskey companies, in order for Whiskey to be called Irish Whiskey, it has to mature for three years. How do these Whiskey companies make money in the mean time? They make Gin!
If you’re here looking for Whiskey Stones, you can purchase them here.
There is a real renaissance in the Irish Gin movement at the moment which is fantastic to see, considering the global popularity of this clear, refreshing spirit and there are so many made on our beautiful Island.
We shouldn’t have to tell you that at Manly Stuff HQ, we’re fond of a drop of the anything that’ll take the edge of (in moderation!). There is a multitude of ways to drink your gin – Gin and Tonic with Cucumber being the most popular but more recently bars are using Gin as the basis for some greaaat cocktails!
We’ve been sent different bottles of Gin from well established Irish Gin Distilleries and some new kids on the block, lets begin talking about the Best Irish Gins around.
1. Blacks Irish Gin
If you’re partial to the Blacks range of craft beers, you may be excited to hear about the Kinsale brand’s latest project, Blacks Irish Gin, a bold small batch flavoured with 13 botanicals, including Irish heather flowers picked along the Wild Atlantic Way. Black’s Gin features 13 different botanicals. Lemon Peel, Orange Peel and Fresh Pink Grapefruit peel give a fresh citrus background to complement the Juniper and Coriander. Licorice and Angelica roots combine with cinnamon to spice and balance the flavors and enhance a dry finish . Black’s Gin also features vapour infused Irish heather flowers to enrich the gin and pay tribute to its Irish heritage. Black’s started distilling onsite at their brewery in late 2014 which was at the time the only co-located brewery and distillery in Ireland. The Distillery makes small batch runs of Irish Poitin (Awarded the Gold medal in the “Young Spirit” category by spirit.com.pl) US Style Moonshine, Irelands first ever Rum, handcrafted from the finest sugar cane molasses but the main production focus has always been Gin.
2. Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin
The Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim, is where you’ll find PJ Rigney’s unique spirit creation, which fuses Irish botanicals with Asian ones, including Chinese lemon, Kaffir lime and Oriental grapefruit. Drumshanbo are absolutely killing it from a business perspective, they’re in Sainsbury’s and are doing a really cool project with Butlers Chocolate at the minute. Definitely one of our favourite gins!
www.drumshanbogunpowderirishgin.com
3.Echlinville Irish Pot Still Gin
Flavours of land and sea meet in this Co. Down tipple, which is uses whin bush petals and Strangford Lough seaweed to create a sweet and smooth gin with a hint of malt from Echlinville’s homegrown barley. With complex flavor, creamy mouthfeel and a hint of malt, Echlinville Single Estate Irish Pot Still Gin is savored by gin devotees and whiskey aficionados alike. The palate consists of anise and lavender which makes way for juniper and coriander notes. Sweetness carries on throughout with a malt character and creamy mouthfeel seldom found in modern gins. Ireland’s first super-premium single estate pot still gin.
4. Glendalough Seasonal Gin
The Glendalough Distillery is Ireland’s first craft distillery. They’re a small distillery set up by a few friends from Wicklow and Dublin with a passion for reviving the heritage of craft distilling in Ireland. They wanted to forge their own path and do things differently, just like the man on the bottle, St Kevin, did. For him it was building a civilisation in the wilderness, for Glendalough it’s innovative, independent spirits. They started out with poitín, then whiskey, followed by seasonal gin and last year we launched their Wild Gin.
Depending on what time of the year it is, this Wicklow-made gin always tastes different. Just 3,000 bottles are produced each for spring, summer, autumn and winter, using everything from to wild raspberries to elderberry. The brand also produces a combination of all four seasons, Glendalough Wild Botanical, a seaweed-infused variety, Glendalough Dillisk, and a sloe gin, Glendalough Sloe. Each botanical is sustainably foraged by one person and what is picked is placed in the still within hours of foraging. The botanicals are then slow-distilled to tease out delicate flavours.
5. Old Carrick Mill
Old Carrick Mill is an Artisan Distillery, Operated From an Old Flour Mill dating Back Over Two Centuries and lies Quietly Nestled into the Rugged Landscape of Ireland’s Ancient East in Carrickmarcoss Co. Monaghan.
At the Old Carrick Mill Distillery they use age old Irish traditions combined with modern efficiency and methods to create a product steeped in Irish heritage and unique flavors. Their spirits are handcrafted by their master distiller using only the finest carefully selected ingredients fused with our naturally filtered spring water which flows to us through the famous limestone of County Monaghan.
The first distillery in Co. Monaghan for a whopping 157 years, Old Carrick Mill uses traditional techniques and limestone-filtered spring water to make their Small Batch Irish Gin, a tipple steeped in history.
6. Shortcross Gin
Rademon Estate Distillery are proud to be Northern Ireland’s First Award Winning Craft Distillery. Their small batch philosophy ensures that every aspect of the gin meets their exacting vision. Everything is crafted and perfected by hand. Shortcross Gin was created to be a classical Gin with a unique twist; best described as floral meadows, wild berries and grassy notes. It is highly aromatic with an exceptionally long and smooth finish.
Shortcross Gin aspired to create something unique that was reminiscent of the surrounding forests and gardens at Rademon Estate. Dense, lush, verdant and alive with nature, it’s a playground of botanicals, from which they draw their inspiration for Shortcross Gin. The guys forage wild clover giving a delicate essence of wild meadows. Elderflowers & elderberries combine to create both uplifting floral notes and smooth sweet flavours, while their local green apples contribute fresh aromas and lively sweet notes. The final recipe included Juniper, Coriander, Orange and Cassia to which they blend with their very own pure fresh water drawn from their historic estate well.
Smooth and aromatic, Shortcross Gin from Rademon Estate Distillery in Co. Down is the perfect all-rounder, equally good on its own with ice or in a festive cocktail (see recipe below!)
7. Feckin Unbelievable Irish Gin
The Feckin Drinks company from Co Down, sets out to appeal to the ‘young at heart’ who enjoy a bit of banter with their booze. It’s a fun brand with some serious taste. Feckin Unbelievable Irish Gin is the latest addition to the Feckin range accompanying Feckin Unbelievable Irish Whiskey and Feckin Unbelievable Irish Vodka. A light and citrusy gin with tones of candied lemon and buttercream.
The Feckin Gin is made from five botanicals: juniper, corriander, angelica root, cassia bark and lemons. A delightful citrus and herbeaous gin.
8. Garnish Island Gin
We were particularly happy to feature Garnish Island Gin having visited there whilst reviewing the wonderful Eccles Hotel,
Garnish Island is a hidden hide away in West Cork close to where West Cork Distillers was founded in 2003 by three lifelong friends, Denis McCarthy, Ger McCarthy and John O’Connell in Union Hall, West Cork. Ger and Denis had been deep sea trawler men, whilst John was a research and development scientist for some large blue chip food and beverage companies.
Inspired by West Cork’s proud history in artisan food and beverage production, the three friends set about establishing a distillery to produce the highest quality spirits and provide sustainable employment in this beautiful and remote part of Ireland. Along with a master blending team with over 80 years’ experience, the team at West Cork Distillers has grown steadily since its inception to encompass the famous ‘can do’ West Cork spirit.
A deliciously elegant gin that perfectly captures the unique, exotic character of Garnish Island in Bantry Bay. Inspired by the walled gardens of the island, the carefully chosen botanicals are infused to release their essential oils and then distilled slowly in small batches in our pot still.
Bright floral aromas of iris, rose and hibiscus marry beautifully with hints of rosemary and thyme. Enjoy the soft, lingering glow on the finish with notes of citrus and just a hint spice. A warming, full-bodied gin.
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