Gin, as we mentioned before, is one of the most versatile spirits ever made. It neatly complements cocktails with a buttressing potency whilst also subtly expressing its own botanical nature.
What we rarely talk about is the other appeal of gin: its quick time to maturity. As a (mostly) unaged spirit, it can go from still to shelf in a matter of weeks. It can be sold and rake in cash much more quickly than say, a whisky, which needs to be aged for three years, minimum. For a new, or even an established distillery, this helps to pay the bills and keep the lights on.
This is no new or strange phenomenon. Scottish distilleries such as Bruichladdich and Springbank have been producing Botanist and Old Raj for a while now.
One can take a cynical view and dismiss this as a simple cash grab, but that would be a simplistic perspective. While production is quicker than whisky or other aged spirits, that is not to say that gin is inferior. Much thought and experimentation goes into selecting botanicals that goes into the gin. Then, there is the matter of proportion. In what quantities should these herbs, flowers, fruits, bark or roots be added? When? During distillation? A steady stream of sweat, blood and tears goes into a bottle of gin (in a figurative sense).
The aforementioned Old Raj and Botanist are both good examples of good quality, premium gins that stand perfectly well on their own merits. They have fragrant aromas, balanced yet complex characters, and distinct starts, bodies and finishes. All the hallmarks of good spirits, all the while produced side by side with whisky.
Tasting Gins
So why mention all this?
We were recently acquainted with a set of gins from Kyrö distillery, thanks to our friends at Cin Cin.
Kyrö does not lay claim to an ancient, impeccable lineage. In fact, it was set up by a jolly band of Finns only recently; the first stills were fired up in 2014. Despite the Finnish association with vodka, the founders had originally planned to break with tradition and make rye whisky. In a curious twist of fate, however, they then detoured into gin, presumably to make ends meet.
And why not? Good whisky can’t be rushed, and men need to eat while time works its miracles.
There were 3 expressions of gin sampled. The Napue, Koskue and Hel Sin gins. Were they any good?
Napue ($20 ++ Per Glass/ $260 ++ Per Bottle): A fresh nose of grass and spice. I pick up some lemongrass notes, rosemary and a bit of pepper. It has a very thick texture that sits full in the mouth, tasting mostly citric at the start, with some herbal elements joining in the midpalate and culminating in a medium, peppery finish. A decent effort, though i feel it lacks the complexity to stand on its own and deviates too far from a juniper-dominant London Dry to be classified as such.
Koskue ($20 ++ Per Glass/ $260 ++ Per Bottle): While most gins are unaged, this one has been matured in American oak for six to twelve weeks, and it shows. A very spicy nose tempered with vanilla and cream. The lemongrass is there but more subdued in favour of a stronger juniper influence. Peppery and a little grassy at the end. Much like the Napue, but smoother, softer and more refined thanks to the taming influences of the oak. My pick for a good sipping gin.
Hel Sin Gin ($26 ++ Per Glass/ $300 ++ Per Bottle): A limited release, only available at Cin Cin. The nose is, oddly, somewhat briny. It still shows the lemongrass and rosemary of its siblings, but here they are much lighter and softer. On balance, there is a stronger presence of citrus aromas in the nose. The familiar herbal lemongrass and rosemary notes are present from start to end, but the finish shows a stronger spice and citrus component than before. Overall, I find this more subdued, and less bold than the preceding two gins.
Overall, I’d say that the Finnish gins hold some promise. In particular, the Koskue stands out as a gin that has the potential to acquire greater depth and complexity. As it is, the Kyro gins provide an interesting spicy take on the spirit and are worth a try. To one’s knowledge, the best place to do so is still Cin Cin,
As if to make that point, we also had the opportunity to try two other gins, courtesy of the bar.
Skin Gin ($26++ Per Glass/$300 ++ Per Bottle): A German gin, though I’m not too sure it actually qualifies as such, since I can hardly taste the juniper in it. It reportedly uses 4 different citrus (lime, orange, lemon and grapefruit peel) and coriander, but they are all dominated by the final botanical: Moroccan Mint. From the first whiff to the final taste on the tongue, mint is the only aroma and flavour that one tastes, and the finish is long and lingering. An interesting experiment, perhaps, with beautiful packaging, but one feels that its greatest virtue is its novelty.
G’Vine Floraison ($17++ Per Glass/$200 ++ Per Bottle): Made from grapes and infused with vine flowers, this is fresh and floral, with a fragrant sweetness reigning on the nose, sharing the limelight with juniper. On the tongue, this floral nature proves to be consistent, and this proves to be a very light, delicate spirit indeed. A bare hint of juniper persists, with a tiny thread of ginger spiciness creeps in towards the end.
Summing it up
The world of gin continues to get more exciting as more, and increasingly, new, distillers offer their own unique takes on the spirit. In five tasting portions, we found such different flavours and qualities that it’s hard to believe that they are all considered to be gin!
Whether or not these were produced on the road to making whisky seems unimportant; what matters is that they offer something new, interesting and of outstanding quality. We live in interesting times, indeed.
To try these gins, or perhaps even more, do visit:
Cin Cin
100 Peck Seah Street, 01-02, Singapore 079333
Reservations: 6385 2604 or email enquiry@cincin.sg
Website: www.cincin.sg
Operating hours: Sunday to Thursday: 5 noon to 12 midnight (Last order at 1130pm)
Friday, Saturday, Eve of Public Holidays: 5 noon to 1am (Last order at 1230am)
