Last Updated on March 13, 2019 by HodgePodgeDays
I thought I liked gin. I thought I enjoyed a pre-dinner G&T. Wasn’t fussy about the gin, because gin is gin isn’t it? Actually no gin isn’t just gin. It can be poor, mediocre or just amazing. That is what I learnt this week (I also learned that trying to make notes at a gin tasting is likely a waste of time, but I digress).
If I’m honest I’d had a couple of teeny-tiny little drinkies before the tasting, so I arrived rosy cheeked and “relaxed”, much to the considerable amusement of my friends. Before I’d even taken my coat off a G&T was thrust into my eager hands. Meh, it’s a G&T, I thought to myself, not so, this was a Hunters Cheshire Gin G&T with a wedge of lime and a sprig of rosemary. It was the start of many, many delicious things in glasses I was to consume that night.
Hunters Cheshire Gin a single batch distilled gin made to a 300 year old recipe, it is infused with subtle blend of botanicals sourced from all over the world. The blend of botanicals is understandably a closely guarded secret, but it includes juniper berries, citrus peel and coriander seeds. Whatever the blend, it produces the most divine gin.
Whilst we sipped our delicious Hunters G&T, Louis Smith the Hunters Sales Manager and Company Director Jon Jones gave a remarkably interesting presentation about the history of gin and how they make Hunters Cheshire Gin. They flatly refused to hand over their top secret, 300 year old recipe though, the cads! (My notes got a little wonky at this point and appear to have been written by an incoherent child).
Post-presentation we were given the most delicious, fresh tasting gin cocktail. I don’t know its name (I did note it down but it appears to have been written in hieroglyphics). It did contain Hunters Gin, local Cheshire apple juice and elderflower. I could happily drink that all night (and I suspect I might have made a good effort). I think it would be perfect served at a wedding type event instead of Pimms and would be much classier.
Gin tasting pretty much over, we were each given a baby bottle of gin as a souvenir and left to enjoy our drinks. Sean from Mullen Bartending mixed us up a couple more drinks, my personal favourite (I’d given up taking notes at this point, I’d lost the ability to hold a pen) was a stunning concoction muddled with fresh parsley. I suspect I had about three of those.
I am a total gin convert now (sorry pints of lager, it was fun while it lasted) and I’m completely in love with Hunters Cheshire Gin. I’m delighted that it is stocked in a local independent wine merchants Carringtons in Didsbury. If you get the chance to try it do, for such a beautiful, quality gin it is very competitively priced. You can pick it up for around £27 a bottle. It’s a bit special too. Get it on your Christmas list or treat yourself.
As an aside, and this is important. I woke up the next day as fresh as a daisy. You can always tell quality spirits as they don’t give you a hangover. I felt ridiculously good. So thank you Mullen Bartending and Hunters Cheshire Gin for introducing me to my new best friend. Thank you for a wonderful evening and thank you for not giving me the hangover I probably deserved!