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Sweden’s High Coast was designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The geology of the site uniquely tells the story of the last few ice ages. Once, twice, many times buried beneath a vast ice sheet, Sweden’s High Coast is now home to a vast diverse fauna and flora; the flora of which the award winning Hernö Distillery have captures in their Hernö High Coast Terroir Gin.
Designated terroir because the botanicals were harvested within the UNESCO High Coast World Heirtage site.
This gin was a limited edition release, and the one we’re tasting was the 2016 release.
Tasting Notes
Unctuous, rich, and very clearly Hernö Gin on the nose. I’d say many of Hernö releases dabble in this similar accord of Meadowsweet, Lingonberry and Juniper. In that way, the nose of High Coast Terroir Gin reminds me of Hernö Classic and Navy Strength
More specifically, it’s an enormous hit of Meadowsweet. Notes of honey, hyacinth, lily and spring flowers. Almond, Marzipan, and a slight nuttiness as well with a hint of Macadamia Nut. Really compelling and very floral.
High Coast Terroir Gin shows off it’s juniper and some more classic gin touches. Pine-forward juniper leads into heavy cream, some coriander and baking spice, and then towards the finish fresh, tart cranberry and more heady Florist shop Meadowsweet.
The Rowanberry and Lingonberry seem to be contributing some of those sour, tart fruit notes, while the Meadowsweet comes on strong. Underneath all of that, there’s a very nice classic gin backbone that stays with the palate the whole way through.
Cocktails
High Coast Terroir Gin makes an excellent, quite floral Martini. I like cocktails that emphasize the freshness and vibrancy of it’s floral-notes, so I prefer it in a Tom Collins to the Gin and Tonic; but I also think that Hernö High Coast Terroir Gin sips really well on its own.
Overall
Although I haven’t been to Sweden’s High Coast, Hernö’s Hernö High Coast Terroir Gin suggests to me steep crags, rocky bays and fields of Meadowsweet and Lingonberry.
Hernö High Coast Terroir Gin is a beautiful, extraordinarily floral forward gin that balances local botanicals as a star with a classic structure underneath. It’s very contemporary, and those looking for a more classic or traditional gin will likely want to look elsewhere; but fans of Hendrick’s, Dorothy Parker or other contemporary floral gins will likely be overjoyed. Hernö High Coast Terroir Gin is a beautiful gin and one that whets my palate for whatever the 2017 batch has in store.
Recommended.
Thanks To…
Special thanks to David T. Smith, creator of Summer Fruit Cup and author of Forgotten Spirits & Long Lost Liqueurs has been a friend of The Gin Is In for nearly as long as we’ve been around. David shares samples of curious and rare spirits from his travels that might be difficult to obtain stateside. Thanks to David for the sample.
Awards
