Ink Gin has added a new gin to its range, Ink Bitter, which is described as the distillery’s boldest gin yet.
Citrus is a favoured flavour of Australians: we produce 600,000 tonnes of citrus every year, three-quarters of which are oranges. Ink Gin wanted to marry the nostalgia of receiving orange slices during half time with the fruit’s 400-year history in botanical gins.
IWSR reports indicate a rising interest in flavoured gins with 54 per cent growth in the category, driven by playful and nostalgic flavours. Furthermore, the Ink Gin Trend Report 66 per cent of Australians identify unique flavours as what excites them about a spirit brand.
Head Distiller Quentin Brival wanted to create a gin with punch, but without too many spicy, bitter notes.
“Our aim was to strike for the perfect balance between intensity and smoothness in every sip. So, we wanted to create a recipe that could be sessionable in a Gin and Tonic. We were interested in bringing out the richness of the bitter orange, as this is such a great flavour for cocktails, with a dry rather than sweet profile,” Brival described.
The botanical mix contains four different oranges: bitter orange, sweet orange, sweet orange peek, and rescued orange leftover from distilling the original Ink Gin. This is complemented by the addition of bergamot and grapefruit and mellowed with chamomile flower and caraway seeds.
“We wanted to create a truly unique offering that highlights the robust and multifaceted nature of bitter orange flavour. To balance out the bitter notes, we completed a post-distillation infusion with real vanilla and sweet orange peel to infuse, balance and smooth the end product,” Brival concluded.