Here’s a beguiling gin. Hailing from the remote County Leitrim on the border of Northern Ireland, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin is not exactly what you would think of as quintessentially Irish.
The botanical blend is well traveled, with only the perennial herb meadowsweet sourced from near the distillery; the rest is from much farther afield—cardamom and caraway from India, juniper from Macedonia, kaffir lime from Cambodia. As for gunpowder, it isn’t just a masculine-sounding moniker for a gin. It’s a Chinese tea that’s dried and rolled into pellets.
The nose shows you a lot of the expected juniper, citrus, and coriander. So far, so good. But on the palate, things get really interesting. It’s actually hard to pinpoint a lot of the botanicals because interesting flavors come at you in waves—floral to start, followed by basil and fresh herbs, mint, lemon verbena, and finally an exceptionally long, oily, malty finish.
This is a Martini gin through and through. Pair it with a mellow, understated vermouth and let it shine.
★★★★
Stats:
— 43% ABV
— $35
