Citadelle, the brand founded in 1996 by Alexandre Gabriel— when he petitioned to make use of his Cognac stills during the months of the year when cognac production was prohibited— has come a long way.
Once a brand known for its relatively tight, juniper centered botanical bill, Citadelle has expanded pretty widely. Not as wide as Hendrick’s, but wide all the same. Pickles, Melon, Old Tom, and now Citadelle Rouge.
Citadelle Rouge is proof that the “Pink Gin” trend has grown up. No, the gin isn’t pink. But it features the flavor profile that made Pink Gin such a hit. Infused with several berries, including blueberry, cranberry, raspberry, currant and rhubarb— it references the color in name alone.
Tasting notes
Color: Perfectly clear
Aroma: Berry candy with a touch of gin as well. Juniper, angelica and citrus rind complement a powdery, slightly bubblegum not of berries.
Flavor: You will get some juniper in here, but you will have to work for it.
Early, a touch of dry coriander spice, strawberries, berry candy— especially blue raspberry flavor. I don’t know if this is a cultural universal, but blue raspberry is a candy flavor that is a combination of cherry, raspberry and banana. I get a touch of that, with a hint of lemon. To reference another American sugared treat, it calls to mind Rocket Pops.
If I’m fixated on candy here, that’s because the flavor is. It is sweet— however there are some gin like notes that give it some depth. Citadelle Rouge, especially if you let it sit on your palate, has a pleasant warmth and some hints of resinous pine.
Juniper isn’t the star, but it isn’t absent either.
Finish: Mild warmth and a pleasant dryness. The edges of the palate dry out with bitter orange zest, resinous juniper, a hint of peppery spice.
Cocktails and suggested serves
Citadelle Rouge has some clear goals in mind—it’s designed for mixing. It’s especially good with citrus ingredients. Try it in a Tom Collins. It makes a good, if literal, Bramble.
The berries and citrus sing out in a Gin and Tonic, but the berry flavor is so intense that the gin makes a Gin and Soda taste like a flavored seltzer.
I found it a bit too sweet and jammy for a Negroni. It almost added a candy note up and beyond what Citadelle Rouge is already bringing.
Overall, Citadelle Rouge
Odds are, you made up your mind about this gin the moment you heard of it. It’s a sweet-tasting, berry-flavored gin that feels more at home in mixed drinks than in a fancy cocktail bar.
Looking at the long trajectory of berry-flavored gins, we’ve come a long way from some of the bright neon pinks of the 2010s. We’ve come even farther from the days when Indoggo represented a bold step in using these flavors without the neon colors and syrupy texture.
Citadelle Rouge is not dissimilar in concept, but it represents how far we’ve come in execution.
I’ve always been committed to reviewing what’s in the glass—not necessarily holding gins to what I want them to be. Citadelle Rouge is a bit unbalanced and could benefit from more clarity in perspective. Perhaps a touch less berry and a touch more juniper would have helped it. I’d love for it to read more clearly as a gin, as I think some of Citadelle’s other flavored variants do.
But it’s well done for what it is. If you’re looking for a good juniper-forward gin, try regular Citadelle. But if you’ve enjoyed these kinds of flavored gins, Citadelle Rouge is one of the best on the market today.
Recommended in its category.