Flavor Profile
The Skagerrak is a strait that separates the Scandinavian nations of Denmark., Norway and Sweden. The brand’s story began when six of the region’s top bartenders— two from each nation— were gathered on a cruise to brainstorm and taste test a gin. The resulting gin recipe uses ingredients from around the Skagerrak Strait and celebrates the region’s shared botanical heritage.
Unsurprisingly, several of the key botanicals from around the strait are of the sea— including sea buckthorn and seaweed. The gin is distilled in Norway; therefore, the choice of potato spirit as a base fits within the nation’s rich distilling tradition.
Tasting notes
Aroma: Moderately vegetal. Strong cucumber notes and green leafy character surrounds a hearty green juniper note. There’s some hints of spice, raspberry, and elderflowers around the edges as well. Nicely balanced and a quite pleasant, fresh aroma.
Flavor: Much more green and seaweed forward than the nose. A hint of spice segues into a peppery heart with notes of kelp, earthy cinnamon bark, and nutmeg all amidst a very faint background floral note of rose hips.
Finish: Rose hips and hazy elderflower lend a sweetness at the end that stands in stark, fresh contrast to some of the green, vegetal notes earlier on.
Low in astringency, low in heat, and balanced— Skagerrak straddles a lot of seemingly disparate ingredients and comes out with an interesting and complex journey that is quite delightful, especially on its own.
Cocktails and suggested serves
Quite pleasant in a gin and tonic, I recommend it more so in cocktails like the Negroni or Marrtini. I think some of the rose hips sweetness and seaweed notes might be lost in highly flavored cocktails like the Last Word or Gimlet.
Bartenders will find Skagerrak a good mixing gin, but one that is slightly unpredictable. It’s not a gin that is designed to simply replace an everyday London Dry like Gordon’s. It is truly its own thing— and a step on the path towards establishing a more regional take on gin.
Overall, Skagerrak Nordic Dry Gin
Skagerrak Nordic Dry Gin is an interesting and memorable gin. It adds a regional Scandinavian flair to the classic London Dry flavor profile. While it may not appeal to all gin drinkers— it’s more vegetal and floral than others— it has a balance that is a hallmark to more recent contemporary gins. Further, bartenders who do not treat it like a simple replacement in classic cocktails. but instead design around it, will find a delicious gin with the right level of juniper and other botanicals to appeal to a wide swath of gin drinkers.
Recommended in its category.
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