Why choose a craft gin?

The Soleil Taste & Serve

Why choose a craft, small-batch gin? You can get the same from the supermarket, right? Well, no, not in our opinion. We believe that what you get from our, or any other, crafted small-batch gin is the benefit of the distiller’s time, patience and skill and this comes through in the quality of fragrance, flavour and texture. That is why we encourage you to try our gin without too much fuss – neat over ice. Read on for our guide to tasting and serving your Soleil gin; you can even use it to compare with other gins.

How to taste

We recommend for your tasting, you choose a gin-specific glass like a balloon tumbler, the extra space will allow the botanicals to work their magic and infuse the aromas and flavours of the gin. Try going through the tasting ritual without ice first, then again with a couple of cubes.

What does the gin look like?

Look for clarity. Does the gin have a tint or colour, does it look appealing to the eye and is it consistent with the gin’s description.

The gin’s nose

Does the gin smell nice? Can you detect the lemon verbena and any other citrus in your Soleil? Compare the sensation in the nose with off-the-shelf gin – can you tell your Soleil gin with its aromas, rather than a burning sensation that you might get with some cheaper products? How many layers of our twelve botanicals can you pick out?

Taste

How smooth is your Soleil gin? Can you sense the essential oils that have been teased out by the distiller’s skill to just the right level, just enough to produce a smooth texture but not so much as to feel “oily”? Compare the smoothness of your Soleil to other gins.

Try to pick out the citrus notes and botanicals. Do they taste balanced? Does a particular flavour strike your palate? Allow the gin to stand for a few moments after your first taste. Does the gin develop? Can you now taste more or different botanicals?

Finish

Can you taste the gin’s flavours for a period after tasting? What sensation do you get in your throat? Does it burn, or is it more of a pleasant warming sensation?

Our Suggested Serve

Our recommendation is a balloon tumbler. Put two or three cubes of ice in the bottom of the glass and pour over your desired measure of Soleil gin. Add a slice of orange and taste. If you prefer, add just a dash of Indian tonic water- not too much, you don’t want to drown the quality sensation!

Savour! Close your eyes and drift to sunnier climes, carried away on a lemon verbena breeze!