South African Mandarins are known as Naartjie. Renowned for their sweetness, they’re not their own cultivar or species— but just a citrus fruit that thrives in South Africa’s climate and soils. Like other gins in the Ginfuse line they infuse the signature botanical after distillation.
Tasting notes
Color: Straw and perfectly transparent
Aroma: Vivid citrus at first, tangerine and a hint of white pineapple candy and green leafy vegetation, like banana leaf.
Flavor: Boldly tangerine and sweet lemon forward, with notes of vanilla, pineapple candy, and the coolness of eucalyptus and wintergreen on the edges.
Juniper is a tertiary player on the mid-palate, showing through briefly before being a bit more present on the end. It’s never above a volume of three, and even when it does appear it is alongside hints of celery, angelica— maybe more as a green note than a traditional gin.
Finish: Moderately warm and slightly astringent Ginfuse Sunset Naartjie ends with a botanical dry note on the back of the palate.
Cocktails and suggested serves
That finish largely positions Ginfuse Sunset Naartjie behind the bar as a good mixed drink/cocktail gin, but not one I would look to in a Martini.
It is a flavored gin— so mix with an eye for that bright mandarin flavor. After all that’s what this was designed to do. Ginfuse Sunset Naartjie is stellar in mixed drinks. From the quiet gin and soda, to the bolders mixers— this gin has a front flavor that will shine bright. And it pairs well whether you like unison in a gin and lemonade or contrast like a gin and cola. The added sweetness at the end I think is essential for this gin, and that continues over to cocktails.
Things like the Aviation, Negroni, or White Lady— all with a sweet ingredient is able to harness those bold citrus notes and add brightness to the dry, somewhat astringent finish.
Overall, Ginfuse Sunset Naartjie
Remember, we’re having a flavored gin here. If you’re looking for the flavor profile you get from a distilled gin, you will be disappointed. However, as a flavored gin Ginfuse Sunset Naartjie is a lot of fun. It accentuates a bright local signature botanical. It mixes well.
I would prefer a bit more juniper— even within the flavored gin category. And I’d love to see them add another botanical, whether in distillation or infusion, to add some flavor on the back of the palate.
Overall, it’s a fun flavored gin that won’t appeal to everyone, but if you’re looking for a bold citrus forward gin for your next gin and soda on the beach, I think you’ll dig this one.