The botanical bill for Gin Domus was inspired by the gardens of the world famous Melk Abbey. The abbey is a world heritage side that has been continuously occupied by Benedictine Monks since 1089. The botanicals and flowers in the gin were chosen for their historical connection with the abbey and this gin is an abbey exclusive. That’s the first time I’ve ever written that phrase in over seventeen years of writing about gin.
Tasting notes
Aroma: Herbal and floral, with powdery, dewy notes of jasmine and lilies. There’s a delicate musky low notes, with a touch of vanilla, custard and spring garden air.
Modus Gin does indeed smell like a garden and doesn’t have a lot of clear reference points in the world of gin— it might be more familiar to those versed in the art of floral perfumes.
Flavor: Woodruff, honeysuckle, neroli and honey. Warm at first, it rises quickly on mid-palate with bright floral notes and spring pine blossoms. It settles, revealing a back half that starts as Turkish Delights and becomes a bit more marzipan.
The juniper is piney and bright while the florals start like a garden, they become more confectionery.
Finish: Somewhat warm with a touch of bitterness and raw ethanol, set against a backdrop of dewy rose and Easter lily. Notice how hard I’m trying to avoid the Oxford comma these days?! I know what they say about it. It’s bad enough that option+shift+hyphen like a fiend (please excuse this brief moment of the old blogging style, *ahem* now back to our gin review).
Cocktails and suggested serves
Gin Domus is a challenging mixer. I almost think it might it be at its best right from the bottle neat or on the rocks.
Harmonious pairs might include vermouth in a Wet Martini or Chartreuse in The Alaska Cocktail.
But I think it clashes with mixing ingredients. It makes for a muddy, wet garden Negroni. Fresh citrus tries to fight the exact part of the palate where the floral notes of Gin Domus want to shine. In other words, I think it’s a challenging mixer and given its limited availability bartenders aren’t likely to encounter it in their work. If you’re planning on bringing it home, I’d suggest you do so because you want a sipping floral gin.
Overall, Gin Domus
While I personally have reputation for enjoying floral gins— I enjoy it but would limit my recommendation to those who know and enjoy that style. I’d say the closest parallel on the market today is Flora Adora (but this one is a better balanced play on that level of floral perfume).
Many will find it a bit too perfumed and one note. While there is some pine/juniper in there, it is really about the Monk’s garden. If you want to sip a spring garden, check this out. If you want a cool souvenir from the abbey, check it out but know what you’re getting into.