Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1013885
66 / the tasting panel / august 2018 IRISH GIN W ith more and more spirits appearing in an already crowded market, expressions need provenance and a backstory to separate themselves from the bunch. A product of The Shed Distillery in County Leitrim, Ireland, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin ($37) exudes both flavor and folklore with its refreshing blend of exotic botanicals and epic origin story, which sent founder Pat "PJ" Rigney traversing the globe for worthy ingredients. "During one of my many voyages into terra incognita, I found myself part of a Moroccan tea ceremony," says Rigney, who serves as the Managing Director of The Shed Distillery. "Here, I noticed the small, rolled green leaves brought from the Orient since the Tang dynasty of the seventh century. I instantly knew I needed to add them to my secret tabernacle back at the distillery, so I set off on my next journey to their source—the eastern province of Zhejiang, China—and discovered many an interesting botanical along the way." 66 / the tasting panel / august 2018 Managing Director of The Shed Distillery. "Here, I noticed the small, rolled green leaves brought from the Orient since the Tang dynasty of the seventh century. I instantly knew I needed to add them to my secret tabernacle back at the distillery, so I set off on my next journey to their source—the eastern province of Zhejiang, China—and discovered many an interesting botanical along the way." Unbottling Discovery W ith more and more spirits appearing in an already crowded market, expressions need provenance and a backstory to separate themselves from the bunch. A product of The Shed Distillery in County Leitrim, Ireland, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin ($37) exudes both flavor and folklore with its refreshing blend of exotic botanicals and epic origin story, which sent founder Pat "PJ" Rigney traversing the globe for worthy ingredients. "During one of my many voyages into terra incognita, I found myself part of a Moroccan tea ceremony," says Rigney, who serves as the Managing Director of The Shed Distillery. "Here, I noticed the small, Managing Director of The Shed Distillery. "Here, I noticed the small, rolled green leaves brought from the Orient since the Tang dynasty of the seventh century. I instantly knew I needed to add them to my secret tabernacle back at the distillery, so I set off on my next journey to their source—the eastern province of Zhejiang, China—and discovered many an interesting botanical along the way." DRUMSHANBO GUNPOWDER IRISH GIN MAKES A NAME FOR ITS HOME COUNTRY IN A LESS-EXPLORED CATEGORY by Jill Sieracki