Chinnery Spirits proudly unveils Chinnery Gin with Osmanthus and Oolong
A new Dublin Dry Gin made with ten botanicals including defining flavours of Osmanthus Flower and Oolong Tea. Inspired by the romance of the Old China Trade that delivered silk, spices, tea and porcelain to Europe in the 19th Century, the Chinnery Gin story draws on a colourful history, steeped with tales of trade, travel and creativity, all distilled into a fragrant and floral gin full of exotic flavours.
The featured botanicals, Osmanthus and Oolong, are distilled individually in their entirety at Chinnery Spirits’ small Dublin distillery using a modern vacuum still. This allows a lower temperature distillation than would be possible with traditional methods, ensuring that more of the delicate and natural flavours are extracted. These distillates are then blended with a gin base, distilled to Chinnery Spirits’ unique specification at West Cork Distillers in Skibbereen. The base is infused with eight botanicals including cassia bark, juniper, coriander seed, liquorice root, sweet orange peel, grains of paradise, angelica root and orris root. The result is a fragrant gin, floral on the nose with notes of gooseberry and orange zest. Sweet, spicy and fruity on the palate, its finish is crisp, clean and satisfying.
With such a singular taste, Chinnery Gin called for a distinctive decanter. Reminiscent of a Chinese lantern, Chinnery Gin’s bottle bears a characteristically Georgian Dublin townhouse façade. Peer through the sash windows on the front label and colourful imaginings of the Far East are revealed through the lively spirit. Set in this scene, near the landmark Pazhou Pagoda on the Pearl River, is an artist at his easel, honouring the renowned artist George Chinnery whose life and travels from Dublin to the far off lands of India and later China in the 19th century not only inspire the gin, but give it its name.
In a joint statement about the launch, Chinnery Spirits Directors David Havelin and Marie Byrne said “There is a whole world around Chinnery Gin we want people to explore, from the artist and his social milieu at home and abroad, to vast oceans of travel and trade. Our own journey took us to the wholesale tea markets of Canton—or Guangzhou as it’s now known—treading the same ground as centuries of traders before us to seek out the very best leaves and flowers. Exploration and discovery have become our driving passion, not only in the creation of our first gin expression, but across our plans, investigating new distilling techniques and developing new and exciting flavours for future launches.” by David Havelin
Chinnery Gin, with its layered, delicate flavours, is best appreciated in a simple serve, on ice with quality tonic water such as Poachers Wild and a garnish of red grapefruit. Chinnery Gin is available from the Celtic Whiskey Shop, Mitchell & Son, Molloy’s, James Fox and other good independent off licenses, retailing at €54.95 RRP.
Chinnery Gin Tasting Notes
Nose: Very floral, leading into hedgerow notes of honeysuckle, wild herbs, cleavers and bramble. Warm fruit, sun-ripened strawberries and rhubarb petals crushed underfoot and honey. Botanical notes of juniper and coriander, light, clean and summery like hazy summer evenings, decadent, aromatic and exotic. There is a lovely note of gooseberries with orange zest.
Palate: Rich, creamy and zingy on the palate. Warming and mouth-watering, juicy summer fruits and fresh herbal notes coming through. Sweet, spicy flavours of clove and cardamom, floral like a sunny wall garden, quite heady, wallflowers and stewed fruits, jam, buttery lemon slices. Really floral, like a fruity summer jelly or Turkish Delight.
Finish: Crisp, clean and green on the finish, almost Mediterranean, a hint of olives. Very satisfying.
About George Chinnery
Chinnery Gin is inspired by the life and travels of portrait artist George Chinnery, who began his career in Dublin in 1796. He lodged on College Green, opposite the Irish parliament which was stacked with wealthy members who spread money about and supported a thriving social and cultural scene. The 19th Century did not begin well for Dublin, however. The Act of Union saw Ireland absorbed into the United Kingdom and its parliament closed down. Gradually the great and the good decamped to London or to their country retreats. Chinnery decided to move on.
After a long spell in India, Chinnery arrived in Canton, the main trading port of China, where he continued his career, painting portraits of the Chinese and European merchants. He was also a prolific sketcher of the everyday life of southern China and his work is regarded as the historical record of the 19th century China Trade. George Chinnery died in 1852 and is buried in Macau.