Flavor Profile
Old St. Andrews’ Pink 47 Gin pushes the envelope in a couple of novel directions. Featuring 12 botanicals (including almond, cassia, nutmeg and juniper), I caught an interesting note about it which indicates that it features TWO(!) different kinds of coriander and angelica among its ingredients.
Yes, while garden angelica is the most common angelica in gin (Angelica archangelica), it’s far from the only edible kind of angelica- and the floral character can vary from species to species. Angelica Lucida is a coastal plant which is eaten as if a celery. Wild Angelica (Angelica sylvestris) is an edible, pernicious weed, run rampant in the Canadian maritimes. There’s others two, so clearly plenty of candidates for a second angelica ingredient….
Pink 47 Gin is based on a neutral grain spirit and bottled in a faceted pink diamond bottle.
Tasting Notes
Nice, bright juniper nose, with a modicum of leafy herbs and a some clear coriander mixed in there as well. Very classic, with the herbs and minty notes a bit lower in the mix, coming through more clearly as the spirit warms.
Overall, the spirit feels thinner than expected on the palate. Lots of crisp, juniper reveling in its herbaceous side. Towards the back end, the herbal touches come through again shades of sweetened angelica, nutmeg, and bitter orange. The taste is quick and short, without much evolution on the palate. The finish is short and dry, with heat primarily present and a slight back note of herbs.
Overall
Simple and classic, Pink 47 Gin has potential as a mixing ingredient. On its own however, it’s a bit underwhelming. Although the flavor will appeal to fans of classic style gin, the thin spirit, with a rough and somewhat hot finish means that for the price, there’s better , more balanced, options available.
Aaron,
It’s a shame the spirit inside doesn’t live up to the packaging on the outside. This is a nice bottle and unusual when compared to the sea of similar bottles we are used to. It is a shame the Gin is not as good as it could have been, there is nothing bad about it but there is nothing great about either. Given the packaging I had built up my anticipation ready for sampling it only to be left with a feeling of mediocre. Oh, well…plenty more Gin in the sea!
Regards, David.
Investment in packaging at the expense of the product is folly. You sell a first taste with marketing, bottles, and campaigns and the like. But you sell that second taste only with the taste of the product. It might bring short term benefits (hey! that looks novel!), but it’s not a formula for a winning, long-term brand whose name people will call for behind a bar.
I think it might be wise advice to all teams launching a new product to cut corners somewhere and settle for an off-the-shelf bottle if it means spending more time crafting, testing with prospective gin drinkers, and refining the product.
Aaron,
Agreed, and a great tip for all distillers out there. I had a similar experience with “The King of Soho” Gin (currently available in the UK) where the beautiful bottle design outdoes the spirit within. Of course, it’s easy for us sitting at our computer screens to say this, it’s a whole other thing to be standing in front of a still and making the Gin and defining the marketing strategy (including bottle design) to go along with our creation!
Kind regards, David.
Though I might disagree with you on the notion that it’s easy sitting at our computer screens.
Ultimately in the world of gin, with the rare exception of things like Gin 1495 (more Art than Product) we’re creating something that relies on reception, and the role of healthy criticism and journalism is highly important. I do have a lot of experience in the world of product design, so perhaps I’m biased. I don’t think it’s easy to do either (far from it, I’ve met/worked with distillers before); however, unless you’re putting your gin in a museum, you must attend to these details!
Hey there?! My customers love this product. Yes, the packaging draws the eye initially , but my customers like the higher alcohol content coupled with the lighter, less “cloying ” taste. A great stepping stone as an introduction to encourage customers to trade up to more premium gins. Pink 47 is what it is – a good starting point to better gins. Legs Wine Bar. Ilkeston Derbyshire.