Gutsy Monkey Winter Gin review

0
306

Packing a powerful punch …

After sampling and reviewing The Gin Kitchen’s Dancing Dragontail Summer Gin, which we both thoroughly enjoyed – and led us on to interviewing the distillery’s co-founder and aeronautical engineer, Kate Gregory – we decided to try the winter version, Gutsy Monkey.  As expected, we were not disappointed with the makers’ high-quality, luxury distillation.

At 48% ABV, Gutsy Monkey Winter Gin packs a powerful punch; but somehow at the same time manages to release subtle citrus tones combined with warming aromatic spice.  Just right for the colder months!  Botanicals include lime zest, ginger, thyme, black peppercorns, allspice, cumin, coriander seed and Croatian juniper all infusing the grain spirit.

On the nose, spicy pine comes to the fore; the warm thyme, peppers and coriander come through on the palate – while the finish – which I love about this tipple – derives from the ginger and allspice.  The zesty lime and juniper bind all together throughout, making for a very special treat.

Gutsy Monkey Gin was launched in 2016 and was the first gin to be produced by The Gin Kitchen in Surrey – although Dancing Dragontail launched first – and was originally only sold locally in Dorking – until word of mouth got around and it was marketed nationwide.

Very much like Dancing Dragontail – and another of our favourites Black Dog – it has a pearlescence when diluted with tonic.  We had ours with Indian tonic, lime and red peppercorns – lovely.  We also tried it with The London Essence Company’s ‘bitter orange & elderflower’ tonic, which made a very subtle difference in that I thought it accentuated the warmth and citrus zestiness in a good way.

The name apparently references the fact that the gin was created in the Chinese Year of the Monkey.  If ‘born’ in the year of the Red Fire Monkey, you are said to be intelligent, strong-minded and rather curious.  You are also mischievous, adventurous and quick-witted, so likely to push the boundaries and keep others on their toes … so surely an appropriate moniker for this full on gin and its distillers.

Gutsy Monkey can be purchased from The Gin kitchen for £49

 

 

 

 

LEAVE A REPLY