There’s two legendary personalities behind this gin.
Let’s start with the obvious. The Gardener Gin is Brad Pitt’s celebrity owned gin brand. Despite his well chronicled sobriety, he started the brand to tell the story of a place he fell in love with. That place is the French Riviera, where the three signature citrus botanicals (bitter and sweet orange, as well as grapefruit) in The Gardener Gin grow.
Then, unless you’re a gin nerd, you might not know the other legendary personality— Tom Nichol. Distiller since 1973, he worked at the esteemed Cameronbridge Distillery and eventually rose to be Master Distiller for Tanqueray. He was recognized for his contributions to gin over his long career, by The Gin Guild, bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. He came out of retiremen t to work on this gin.
Tom’s name being associated with the brand means The Gardener is no ordinary celebrity gin. It has serious credibility within the gin space. It’s distilled from a base of wheat, features a traditional botanical base of licorice, angelica, coriander, juniper and three regional citrus.
Tasting notes
Aroma: Classic and bold green juniper with a slight cooling, menthol kissed facet. More subtle, lemon and grapefruit zest with a hint of white pepper round out The Gardener Gin’s nose.
Flavor: Crisp juniper with a rich herbal impression of herbes de provence. Hints of savory and in particular oregano make up the mid-palate. Earthier licorice emerges more strongly towards the back of the palate.
Finish: Quite pronounced and long. Smooth, and soft with only a touch of warmth. Savory herbs and earthy, rooty licorice hang at the back of the palate.
Cocktails and suggested serves
The Gardener is an herb-forward gin with a savory profile. I recommend treating it in this way behind the bar. I’d steer clear of dessert or creamy cocktails, and instead veer towards those fresher, brighter cocktails of spring. Try The Gardener in a Southside or Last Word.
The herbs work well with citrus, but it might depend on your personal preference for citrus in your savory dishes. The Tom Collins or Gin and Lemonade really elevate that heart note of dried oregano and thyme.
Of the gins I’ve had recently, The Gardener hearkens back to the time where Gin and Tonic was the gin drink. The Gardener is fantastic with an Indian Tonic Water like Q or Fever Tree.
Its best application might be in savory Martini variations like The Dirty Martini or The Gibson.
Overall, The Gardener Gin
Despite the citrus focused brand story, The Gardener is about herbal flavor profiles, especially on the palate. Bartenders who mix to its strengths will find it a beautiful gin that brings flavors that are less common behind the bar.
However, treating it as a workhorse might result in some discordant drinks.
Fans of herbal gins will find a lot to like here. I think it’s balance could have been improved by bringing more of those signature citrus botanicals to the fore. However, what it lacks in balance it makes up for in perspective. It may not be a gin for everyone, but it is a memorable and unique gin that stands out in a crowded global market.