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Photo from Kate (@trapezoidalcircle) on Instagram from our visit to Stay Tuned Distillery
I love the differences between batches, especially when the distillers embrace the seasonal variation and the small batch philosophy. So as a sequel to yesterday’s review of Pathogin Batch 16, we’re taking a look at Pathogin Batch 14. There’s definitely some difference here:
Tasting Notes
The nose has a good deal more brightness than Batch 16. There’s still a lot of licorice here, but a clean lemony, citrus aroma emerges as well, with a touch more juniper. Still a nice warmth and grain based aroma coming through as well. The palate is slightly more traditional, but still spice forward. The beginning is a touch more subtle, with licorice blooming, lemon zest, baking spices and pine-expressed juniper coming through as well. The finish leans towards the world of anise and fennel, but there’s a bit more heat! Yes, the difference is quite striking, but it’s good on its own merits.
For comparison sake, I think I prefer the botanical expression of Batch 14, but I prefer the warmth/and intensity of expression 16. They’re certainly of the same family. But less twins, and more siblings.
Cocktails
Bartenders may experience difficulty creating cocktails around Pathogin. The variance between batches can have a radical effect on the profile of a cocktail. What’s good for Pathogin Batch 16 might not be as good with Batch 14 and vice versa.
Overall
Beautiful botanical expression with a few more nods towards the traditional, it still relies heavily on the licorice/anise flavor profile, so the same caveats for contemporary/classic gin lovers apply here. I’d suggest that Pathogin is a type of gin that you fall in love with because they embody the values of small batch and seasonal variation. It may taste a bit difference from batch to batch, but having tried at least four of their expressions, I can say with certainty that the quality/attention to detail is clear in each, even if they’re a bit different.