Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/776532
january/february 2017 / the tasting panel / 121 january/february 2017 / the tasting panel / 121 SEASIDE SIPPERS: EDINBURGH GINS When it comes to gin, individuality is a must. This is especially true about ultra-sophisticated, Scottish-born Edinburgh Gin. The brand is crafted by Head Distiller David Wilkinson at Edinburgh Gin Distillery. The distillery's flagship is made using a botanical mix that showcases two types of fresh juniper berries, coriander seeds, angelica root, orris root, cardamom, orange and lemon peels, cassia, iris flower, pine, milk thistle and heather. It is bottled at 43% alcohol (86 proof). Edinburgh Gin (SRP $35) is classically structured with the aroma and flavor of piney juniper in the forefront, followed closely by citrus. The finish is clean, crisp and astonishingly delicious. Edinburgh Cannonball Gin (SRP $48) is a naval-strength gin bottled at 57.2% alcohol (114.4 proof). Unlike the handful of naval-strength brands on the market, Edinburgh's flavor profile is distinguished by an enlarged dose of spicy Szechuan peppercorns and a double portion of lemon; this is to offset the impact of the higher alcohol content on the palate. The benefit of having a high alcohol content is more pronounced flavor. Less water is used to dilute the finished spirit, which makes Edinburgh Naval Strength extremely delicious and ideal for drink making. Inspiration for the final member in the Edinburgh range came from the beauty of the eastern coast of Scotland. Seaside Edinburgh Gin (SRP $39) is meant to evoke memories of a day at the beach. Head Distiller Dave Wilkinson created the flavors and scents of the North Atlantic using wild botanicals—scurvy grass, ground ivy and bladder wrack seaweed. He paired the locally foraged botanicals with conven- tional aromatics to complete the seaside illusion. The gin has a silky, medium-weight body and a wafting bouquet of spice, fresh juniper and a spray of sea salt. On the palate, the wild-swept flavors of sea grass, a blend of spice and the evergreen scent of juniper. "A splash of spring water brings out the seaside character in the gin," says Tim Master, Director of Spirits for supplier Frederick Wildman and Sons. "All of our gins are made in the traditional London dry style, yet each offers creative variations that differentiate them from the rest of the field." FREDERICK WILDMAN AND SONS