Gin brand The Botanist, known for making one of our favorite gins of the year, is coming out with a new expression: Distiller’s Strength. This high abv gin will be perfect for making cocktails, maintaining its botanical heft even when mixed into drinks.
The gin equivalent of whiskey’s cask strength is navy strength, which is traditionally defined as an abv of over 57%. So with its abv of 50%, The Botanist Distiller’s Strength isn’t technically a navy strength gin but could absolutely be used in a similar way. It has the same 22 botanicals as the brand’s beloved Islay Dry Gin, including those foraged from the Islay area where the distillery is based.
“Experimentation is at the core of our distillery’s heritage, and The Botanist’s blend of 22 signature botanicals is no exception,” said Adam Hannett, Head Distiller at Bruichladdich Distillery where The Botanist is created. “For this release, I was inspired by Bruichladdich Distillery’s long-practiced art of bottling whisky at 50% abv. At this strength, flavorful oils from distillation are enhanced, the viscosity is richer, and it’s this richness that carries the flavors of the spirit.”
The Distiller’s Strength is arriving just in time for Negroni week, which will be celebrated later this month. It would be a great choice to amp up the flavor of a Negroni, and the brand recommends trying it in other mixed drinks as well.
“We are proud to introduce Distiller’s Strength in the U.S. It is an outstanding new liquid that demonstrates the expertise of our distillery and expands our range for The Botanist,” said Nicolas Beckers, CEO & President of Rémy Cointreau Americas. “Distiller’s Strength is designed both for mixologists who want to explore distinctive cocktail creation with bold spirits as well as at-home consumption with more intense flavors in a classic gin & tonic or Negroni.”
The Botanist Distiller’s Strength will retail for $45 for a 750ml bottle.