Solveig

Flavor Profile

If you’ve already picked up my book Gin: The Art and Craft of the Artisan Revival (available now, worldwide!), you’ve already seen my notes for Solveig Gin. But it’s such an intriguing and interesting gin (not to mention one of the most handsome bottles I’ve seen) that I’m going to talk about it again here.

What is Solveig?

First, the name itself is relatively well recognized in Scandinavian Culture. It comes from the Old Norse, for a “child of the sun,” or “the sun’s strength.”

The gin itself is grain to glass, with its base distilled of Hazlet Winter Rye, a hardy winter rye grown widely across Canada and the Northern United States where harsh, cold winters are the norm, In what’s becoming more common, each botanical is distilled individually and then blended to produce the final product.

Tasting Notes

Light, ethereal nose, with hints of petrichor and arctic terpernic air, floral notes, lavender chiefly, and citrus zest, a mix of Meyer lemon and white grapefruit, As you let it settle, the petrichor intimations build with the earthy, fresh aromas a summer rain filling to glass. Perfumed, but grounded.

On the palate, there’s some juniper at the beginning, lots of thyme and a strong herbal, slightly mint tinged profile with lavender amongst others towards the finish that leads to a long, cooling, refreshing finish that even brings forward some hints of warm grain. Moderate in richness, Solveig is incredibly aromatic with really rich, colorful evocations.

Cocktails

It’s great in a Gin and Tonic and might be one of our favorites of the year. I like the way it mixes, and find it to be a surprisingly good complement to bold herbal counterpoints. So try it in an Alaska Cocktail, or Last Word. Solveig is assertive and loud, don’t be fooled by the bottle.

Overall

Bold and colorfully aromatic, Solveig is a loud but superb gin that works on its own and mixes beautifully. It’s certainly of the herb/citrus forward contemporary style, and fans of classic gins might not find the terepenic intimations enough to win them over. In short, it’s among my (and Kate’s) favorite discoveries of the year, and I think the distinctive nose and lovely herb tinged floral palate carry the day and it’s worth seeking out. Recommended.

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