It's December first, so that means we can all dig into our advent calendars for the big count down. This year, I purchased the Craft Gin Club Advent Calendar and the "Perfect Pairing Advent Bundle" available with a selection of different tonics and garnishes for each daily sample. The advent calendar comes with twenty-five miniature bottles of gin from twenty-four different distilleries and one from the Craft Gin company, and those who receive the advent calendar can learn about the daily gin and the best pairing for it. For spoilers, scroll below or click away from this page if you want it to be a surprise.
The gins that I received in the advent calendar include:
- Nelson's Distillery & School: Nelson's Gluggle Jug Gin
- This small-batch gin was created by one man who had previously worked in Michelin rstaurants. The distillery is located on the borders of Derbyshire and Staffordshire, and it's a relatively new venture. Nelson's Gluggle Jug Gin is a dry gin, and it won the Gin of the Year award in 2019.
- Brinfle Distillery: Cuckoo Supernova Gin
- Brinfle Distillery is produced on a Lancashire farm, and their range of gins is called "Cuckoo". The "Cuckoo Supernova Gin" miniature is provided as a sample, and it is described as a summery gin with hints of refreshing grapefruit. I've sampled one of the other gins in their range previously, and it was a treat.
- The Spirit of Manchester Distillery: Manchester Gin - Wild Spirit
- This distillery in Manchester started as a hobby where the founders began to distill gin out of their dining room in Manchester, and they won awards. Their distillery dates to 2019, so it is a relatively new venture. The "Wild Spirit" gin is a herb-flavoured gin instead of citrus. Sage, thyme, and silver birch are all used to give the flavour.
- Brass Lion Distillery: Singapore Dry Gin
- Brass Lion Distillery is located in Singapore, and it was one of the full-sized bottles for the subscriber "gin of the month" for August (see post). This gin won the gold award at the Gin of the World awards this year. The gin concept was born in 2012, and they toured the world to create different gins and then to create one using the flavours of Singapore, which is how this gin came about.
- Cotswolds Distillery: Cloudy Christmas Gin
- Cotswolds Distillery, located in the Cotswolds, distills different types of alcohol (namely gin and whisky). There's a wealth of knowledge behind this operation. The Cloudy Christmas Gin is their award-winning dry gin, but it has a Christmas spice twist.
- Poetic License: Old Tom Gin
- Poetic License is a relatively young small-batch distillery located in the north east of England. The Old Tom Gin uses a recipe from the 1800s, and the gin is aged in oak casks and retains a golden colour. It is a dry gin and described as having a sweet taste.
- QVT Distillerie: QVT Dry Gin Edition CGC
- QVT Distillerie is based in Provence in France, and a full-sized bottle of this gin was given in the April subscriber box this year (read post). The dry gin is described as having floral notes using juniper, and it is an easy-drinking gin with an enjoyable flavour.
- Batch Distillery: Whinberry Gin
- Batch Distillery is a distiller of rum and gin. It is a small batch gin founded in an old mill in Lancashire. The distillery started in 2011-2012 and started to win awards a few years later, kicking off to popularity in 2017. The Whinberry Gin is a type of sloe gin.
- Otterbeck Distillery: Winter Cotton Gin
- Based in the Yorkshire Moors, the gin was created using local ingredients. The award-winning Cotton Gin is named after the history of the area with its cotton and silk mills. The company prides itself in sustainability. The Winter Cotton Gin is a twist on the distilleries award-winning gin.
- Dunnet Bay Distillers: Rock Rose Citrus Coastal Gin
- Based in Caithness in Scotland (in Dunnet), this distillery focuses on tradition, sustainability, flavour, innovation, and heritage. The gin has won many awards. "Rock Rose" is a name of one of their brands of gin, and the sample received is the Citrus Coastal flavour. Their branding implies the tradition of this part of the world. The distillery has been in operation for several years, and I have purchased some of their products previously.
- Sabatini Gin: London Dry Tuscan Gin
- Sabatini Gin is created in Italy. The family's history in distilling goes back generations. This London Dry gin is described as having a Tuscan twist using the flavours from Tuscany.
- The River Test Distillery: Chalkstream Gold Gin
- Based on the River Test in Hampshire, England, this gin was provided as a full-sized bottle in the March subscription box this year (see post). It is made from local ingredients, including local barley and it has a herb flavour. The gin has also won awards. I found this gin to be enjoyable.
- CHX Distillers Ltd.: Altitude Gin
- CHX Distillers Ltd. is a distillery based in Mont Blanc, France that had previously gained popularity in 2020 due to Craft Gin Club. It was founded in 2017. The company supports sustainability and environmental research with the sale of its gin, and its gin has won awards. Altitude Gin uses local ingredients, such as pine from the Alps, to create unique botanicals.
- Warington's Original Ludlow Gin: Ludlow Spiced Gin
- Based in Wales near the Welsh-English border, this distillery has been experimenting with creating the best gin for many years now. The Ludlow Spiced Gin is a spiced version of their popular gin.
- Burleighs Gin: Burleigh's King Richard III Gin
- Based near Leicester, Burleighs Gin distills out of a converted barn and has been in operation since 2014. The King Richard III gin is named after the king who was killed and buried in the area, and it is named after the different ingredients that would have been used in the kitchens of the palace - clove, sage, thyme, mace, etc.
- Anno Distillers: B3rry Pink Gin
- Based in Maidstone in Kent, Anno Distillers was founded in 2011. The "B3rry Pink Gin" is inspired by the Kent countryside and uses various berries - strawberry, blackberry, and elderberry - to create the flavour.
- Pennington Spirits: Lakeland Moon Snowfell Gin
- Founded in the 1990s, Pennington Spirits creates different liquers. The Kendal Mint liquer is one of the first created, more of a hobby. Its success meant the founding of the company and the distilling of other flavours of liquer and gin. Lakeland is their popular gin brand, and it has won awards. A small sample of the Lakeland Moon Snowfell Gin is provided, and this won the silver gin awards and was produced with Craft Gin Club. It is a more refreshing citrus take on the company's gin.
- Warner's Distillery: Sloe Gin
- Warner's Distillery was created by a farm family who decided to get into the gin business in 2012. The company creates different flavours of gin, and the sloe gin is provided in the advent calendar.
- Pienaar & Sons Distilling Company: Orient Gin
- This small craft gin distillery is located in Cape Town. The Orient Gin is created using different flavours of Asia, which uses spicy and sweet flavours.
- Whitby Distillery: The Bramble & Bay Edition
- Whitby Distillery is a new distillery located in the town of Whitby in northern England. The Bramble and Bay edition of the gin uses blackberries and bay leaves to create the flavour.
- Chemist Spirits: American Gin
- Chemist is located in North Carolina in the U.S.A., and the gin is distilled in the Appalachian Mountains. The botanical ingredients are rose, citrus, spice, and juniper. A full-sized bottle of this gin was provided in the subscription box for the month of July (see post). The gin has won multiple awards.
- Cambridge Distillery: Cambridge Dry Gin - Rosemary & Lemon Verbena Edition
- Cambridge Distillery is inspired to create gins that are inspired by the English seasons and countryside. In the advent calendar, the Rosemary & Lemon Verbena Edition gin is provided as a sample.
- The Gower Gin Company: GWYR Gin Original
- The Gower Gin Company is a Welsh distillery. The GWYR is one of their signature gins and is created with foraged local ingredients using the dry gin and citrus flavours.
- Southwestern Distillery: Tarquin's 'The Cornish Christmas' Gin
- Southwestern Distillery was founded in Cornwall in 2012, and they create colourful bottles of gin. I've previously had their gin, and their gin has won awards and is on sale in many shops. The Cornish Christmas Gin sample is provided.
- Craft Gin Club: Schofe's Winter Gin
- Craft Gin Club have created a new gin with Phillip Schofield, "Schofe's Winter Gin". A sample of provided in the advent calendar.
In addition to the advent calendar, I purchased the tonics and garnishes ("The Perfect Pairing Advent" selection), and I received a different flavour of Artisan-branded tonic for each gin and four bags of garnishes to be paired with the gins. I received five of each flavour of the tonic: classic, skinny, violet blossom, pink citrus, and Amalfi lime. The garnishes included large bags of: grapefruit, lime, lemon, and orange.
I am looking forward to enjoying a daily gin and tonic each evening, so keep coming back to check out my favourite brands.
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