Spanish gin doesn’t get much better than Gin Mare. For those that want what they drink to express a sense of place, Gin Mare is perfect. This is a Mediterranean spirit that tastes Mediterranean. It’s full of character, flavour, and a whole host of unusual and distinctive gin botanicals. If you haven’t already discovered this gem of a gin, you’re in the right place. If you’re already a fan, stick with us for some Gin Mare cocktail recipes.
What is Gin Mare?
OK, let’s establish a few basics. Gin Mare is a premium Spanish gin, produced in Vilanova, a little fishing village not far from Barcelona. It is the creation of the Ribot family, whose ancestors had been in the booze business since 1835. It is produced in a custom-made pot still from premium barley, infused with botanicals ranging from the tradition to the esoteric.
Gin Mare is very much a product of its environment. The botanicals used here include many regional specialities, some grown on the Ribot family’s own land. The key ingredient is the Arbequina olive, and it’s supported by a range of citrus including sweet Seville oranges, bitter Valencia oranges and Lleida lemons. This is Mediterranean through and through.
Botanicals grown by the Ribots include basil, thyme, rosemary and juniper.
Tasting Gin Mare
Neutral, this is not. Far from it, in fact. Gin Mare is a highly distinctive gin, full of local character and proudly representing the lands from whence it has come.
Aromatically, Gin Mare shows some olive character, though perhaps slightly less than you might expect. The Arbequina olive is exceptionally low-yielding when juiced, so even when large quantities are used, other botanicals can become more prominent. In this case, the nose is predominantly herbal, with juniper, thyme and basil coming to the fore.
On the palate, Gin Mare shows that herbaceousness, a little Mediterranean olive and a largely savoury character.
How to drink Gin Mare
Gin Mare Gin & Tonic
A classic, and with good reason. There really is nothing quite like a good G&T, and it all comes down to the ingredients. Get yourself a quality tonic water, like Fever Tree Indian, and you really can’t go wrong.
Ingredients:
- One part Gin Mare
- Two parts tonic water
- Lime or cucumber
- Ice cubes
What to do:
- Fill a glass with ice cubes
- Add one part Gin Mare to two parts tonic water
- Garnish with a wedge of lime or cucumber
- Enjoy
Gin Mare & Honey
Sounds simple, because it is. This one is all about contrasts. Gin Mare has that savoury thing going on, and this one plays to that with a counterbalance of natural sweetness from the honey. Source yourself the best honey you can and thank yourself later.
Ingredients:
- 10 parts Gin Mare
- 2 parts honey
- 1 part water
- Ice cubes
What to do:
- Stir the honey and water together to make a syrup
- Pour this into a cocktail shaker and add the gin and ice cubes
- Shake well and pour through a strainer into a cocktail glass
- Enjoy that sweet and savoury contrast!
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