Twisted Nose Barrel Aged Gin

Twisted Nose Barrel Aged Gin is quite simply the standard Twisted Nose Gin bottled at 40% and aged in oak barrels. The gin is made in exactly the same way as normal by macerating the botanicals in a pure neutral grain spirit followed by redistillation. However, subsequent to this the gin is left to age in lightly toasted German oak barrels for several weeks prior to bottling. It is one of three new products released by Winchester Distillery this year including a Wasabi Vodka and an extra dry Vermouth.

Twisted Nose Barrel Aged Vodka

Of course barrel aged gin is nothing new. There are many other gin brands, Citadelle gin springs to mind as one we used to sell, that have aged their gin in oak. Indeed, in the Netherlands, they have been ageing Genever, the forerunner to gin, in oak for many years and gin would have been transported around the world in oak barrels.

The German oak used for ageing this gin has a very fine grain so, although there is some interaction between the oak and the spirit, there is not as much as there would be with more open grain (for example American) oak barrels. This could easily overpower the relatively delicate aromas and flavours of the gin. As with ageing any spirit in oak barrels, the barrels impart some oaky character to the spirit. So, the fine grain and relatively short barrel-ageing does not overpower the relatively delicate gin. In this case barrel-ageing gives the gin a richer, creamy mouthfeel, subtle vanilla and spice character and a very pale golden colour.

Buy online and in store at Fareham Wine Cellar.

Twisted Nose Barrel Aged Gin

Tasting notes – Twisted Nose Barrel Aged Gin is a delicate, clear and very pale golden colour. The nose has typical gin aromas with additional toasty, malty notes and a sweet vanilla edge. On the palate the gin is fuller, rounder and richer than the standard Twisted Nose Gin. There are definite oak, spice and vanilla characteristics as well as a hint of underlying smokiness. It has a clean, full, lingering finish with touch of sweetness

This fantastic Barrel Aged Gin can be served like an old grain Genever neat, or on the rocks, as an aperitif. it can also be substituted for whisky in classic whisky cocktails to make a Gin Old Fashioned.