Dingle Gin

Flavor Profile

From one of only a couple distilleries in making gin in Ireland, they’ve come to making gin and vodka in the meantime while their flagship whiskey is given the time it needs to age [due for release, by the way, this year]. Dingle Gin’s botanicals are distilled in two steps, some are macerated for 24 hours before distillation, and the others are suspended in a gin basket. Their unique blend of botanicals that calls to mind the Irish landscape actually has a lot of overlap with other brands, particularly Scottish brands, with Rowan Berry, Bog Myrtle, and Heather set amidst some of the traditional juniper, angelica and coriander. Cut with local water, Dingle Gin is produced in small batches to be traditional and Irish all at the same time.

Tasting Notes

Clean and classic on the nose, with lots of bright juniper, piney and warm. Fresh cut angelica stems as well lends it a clean floral brightness to it. Very classic, but really centered around those two notes. There’s mint-laden undernotes as well, with a crisp herbal complexity rounding things out. One of my favorite noses of 2016 so far.

The palate begins with juniper, a crisp floral/mid-note with an almost fruity/jammy character, Hints of blackberry jam, hint of marmalade and chamomile, and then quite suddenly, a very strong minty note adding a bright freshness and mentholated coolness that encompasses the entire mouth. Flavorwise ,Dingle Gin lies somewhere between eucalyptus and mint, and then before the finish there’s another left turn with peppery crispness: coriander, cubeb pepper, and herbal green-ness.

The finish is medium in length, mostly mint/herbal notes. Gentle warmth on the back palate. The spirit is crisp, though not oily nor overly thick. Despite it being rather thin, it delivers a great deal of flavor. Overall, I quite like it.

Cocktails

Dingle Gin is a versatile gin, and the list where I liked it is longer than where I didn’t: good in a Negroni, flavor packed for a cool gin and tonic with a slight mint tinged edge, or maybe a complex and yet accessible martini. It works in mixed drinks like the Tom Collins or Aviation as well.

Overall

Dingle Gin is rich in flavor with a classic angelica and juniper led nose, the palate veers a of directions, both classic (juniper) and contemporary (minty herbs and cool spice). Fans of both style are apt to find something to like here, though fans of a minty note in their gin and gin cocktails will probably be bigger fans than others.

Recommended.

Awards