Elephant Gin

Flavor Profile

Founded in 2013 by travelers Robin and Tessa Gerlach, the long-lived charitable gin brand (donates 15% of profits to conservation efforts in Africa) celebrated their tenth anniversary by moving into a new distillery in Wittenberg, Germany.

The gin’s botanical bill was inspired by their African travels. For example, Devil’s Claw is a South African flowering plant, often used for its reputed anti-inflammatory properties. The baobab is an unusual fruit that dries on the branch, and is among a small group of fruits dubbed ‘superfruit’ for their nutritional and healthful properties. Buchu is another South African plant that was popular as a gin ingredient in the early 20th century.

Tasting notes

Aroma: Piney juniper on the nose with some herbal and spicy notes highlighted by suggestions of mild ginger, dusty coriander amidst a hazy glow of elderflower. Quite classic.

Flavor: Slightly more fruity and floral than the nose suggests. Orange and ginger come through early, mid-palate there’s some juniper. A low level spice echoes in the background bringing peppery cubeb-type notes, but also a subtle berry note reminiscent of rowan.

Baking spice types notes sing towards the end. Ginger is perhaps the clearest note; however, there’s moments of coriander, peppercorn, and hazy lavender herbals.

Finish: Fairly long in length with citrus rind, pumpkin pie spices, and a mild warmth.

Cocktails and suggested serves

While Elephant Gin is slightly contemporary, it is a flexible mixing gin. The juniper nose is somewhat muted in cocktails. but some of the citrus, ginger and pine notes come out on the palate.

I think it’s a solid flavorful gin offering that works as well in a gin and tonic as it does in a gin and soda. It has a strong perspective that stands out and up in drinks like a Bramble or Gin and Jam, provided you are looking for a touch of spice to go along with your fruit.

Martini drinkers will also find a lot to like about Elephant Gin. I think it has a versatile flavor profile that is savor enough for a Gibson or Dirty Martini, but self driven enough for a Dry Martini with either a twist or olive.

Elephant Gin is a versatile gin that is versatile enough to be a house pour, or a premium up-sell that it works in almost any gin cocktail a customer may request.

Overall, Elephant Gin

Elephant Gin is a versatile, flavorful nearly classic style gin. While I think the nose is a bit deceptive, and not entirely representative of the gin’s flavor— that doesn’t take away from the gin’s well balanced flavor.

The novel botanicals might invite you to try, but this gin is about balance through the lens of African botanicals meet London Dry botanicals.

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