G’Vine Floraison
G’Vine Floraison Gin :40%ABV
Botanicals: juniper, ginger root, liquorice, cassia bark, green cardamon, coriander, cubeb berries, nutmeg, lime, vine flowers
Flavour profile: floral
Garnish: white grapes
What a town Cognac is! Everyone knows about the eponymous spirit, some know about Ciroc and Grey Goose vodka, but very few are aware of G’Vine gin despite it being launched in 2006; but the distillers are hoping to change that. They have in Spain where it is the second best selling premium gin.
G’Vine is distilled using Ugni Blanc grapes, more commonly found in Cognac production. Grape spirit is very rare in gin production but was used in juniper spirits across the channel as far back as the 13th century.
I was invited to compare the base grape spirit with the grain spirit normally used as the base for gin; it is far smoother and not as raw as the grain in its base form. The botanicals are added to the spirit separately, macerated then blended. The vine flowers are harvested in a one-week period in June before maceration and are the unique element to this gin. Hence the name, Floraison meaning flowering.
So, do these unique processes lead to a unique gin? They do indeed; Floraison is smooth, fruity, floral, aromatic and citrusy, with a touch of spice and juniper.
On opening the bottle the first thing that is noticeable is the sweet, floral aroma, barely a hint of the normal gin characteristics.
Neat, the floral notes are less obvious but still evident with citrus present and juniper coming in late with hints of liquorice.
G’Vine Floraison makes a very good G&T, a classic summer tipple. But be careful of what you add, it is a sweet and citrus drink so I garnished it with sliced white grapes and Merchant’s Heart tonic; it is important to use a quality tonic that is not sweet. A touch of Vermouth and a very good martini is conjured up, no other additions necessary; the complexity of the gin is enough.
This is a very different and unique drink, far removed from a classic London gin. And that is no bad thing, the more variety the better I say. It is an excellent introductory gin for people who think they don’t like gin; of course, everybody likes gin, they just may not be aware of it yet!
