Craft gin with a difference: a round-up of tasty botanicals

New distilleries seem to pop up around the country every week and key to much of their success is their distinctive flavours, or the botanicals used in the distilling process. Juniper is the one botanical necessary to give gin its distinctive flavour but after that, it’s blender’s choice. We take a look at some of the Irish craft gins that are on the market today and the aromatics that give each of them their distinctive taste.

Social gin

An independent, experimental distillery located in Dublin 8, Stillgarden produces several craft gins including the Social Gin and Boss Lady. Working with “social botanists”, people from both the local and bartending community, Stillgarden’s botanicals are grown both at home and in their community garden. These are then used in their Social Gin. Aromatics include juniper, mint, lavender, rosehips, orris, caraway, cardamom, lemon zest, rowan berry, cubeb, angelica, liqourice, black pepper and lime peel.

An Dúlamán Irish Maritime gin

Made at Sliabh Liag distillers in Co Donegal, Dúlamán use five locally harvested varieties of seaweed, as well as six other botanicals. The coast around Sliabh Liag, Europe’s highest sea cliffs, is an excellent spot for foragers who harvest the seaweed that goes into An Dúlamán.

Boyle gin

This is named after Robert Boyle, a native of west Waterford born in Lismore Castle, who was an alchemist of sorts and is known as the founding father of modern chemistry. He's most famous for Boyle's Law, which the makers at Blackwater distillery print on every bottle of Boyle gin. Expect blackcurrants from Wexford, apples from Cork and elderflower from Waterford in this gin.

Grace O’Malley gin

This heather infused gin made in Co Mayo is packed with 14 botanicals from the west of Ireland including wild thyme, red clover, blackthorn, fraughan or bilberry and rock samphire.

Dingle gin

Dingle Original Gin is what is categorised as a London dry gin but the distillers in Kerry, where the drink is made, put a considerable amount of research and experimentation into making the product more interesting. The unique flavours come from the choice of botanicals. They use, among others, rowan berry from mountain ash trees, fuchsia, bog myrtle, hawthorn and heather for a taste of the Kerry landscape.

Muff gin

This gin is made from a potato base at the Muff Liquor Company in Co Donegal. A blend of botanicals, which have been steeped overnight in a cold infusion, are added, the main ones being mandarin, elderflower, grapefruit peel, juniper and rosemary.

Maharani gin

With spices sourced from a women's co-operative in Kerala, India, Maharani gin is created at the Rebel City Distillery in Cork. The gin is zested with pomelo fruit and is spiced with cassia and nutmeg mace. In certain conditions, the gin is hazed due to the organic oils in their botanicals.

Sling slot gin

The Lough Ree Distillery in Co Longford produces Sling Shot Gin using the rather unusual botanical of peat. The peat creates a rich and smooth feel in the mouth, while adding a not-to-be-unexpected earthy finish. Citrus and mint are also in there, as are old favourites such as juniper and cardamom.

Skellig Six18 gin

This Irish Artisan Pot Still Gin is distilled in small batches, hand-finished in a distillery in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry. Birch trees have a caramel-like sap that is infused into the gin. It gives it its mild, sweet and mineral finish. Douglas fir needles give notes of citrus and pink grapefruit, while yarrow brings a bittersweet finish, as well as tones of citrus and anise.

Old Carrick Mill gin

This is a small batch gin that draws its water from two private wells onsite that are filtered through Monaghan limestone. Ten botanicals go into this small batch gin, with juniper at the forefront, while pear, cucumber and black tea are also added.