Batch Gin

Gin, if you hadn’t noticed, has recently experienced something of a renaissance, going from what was your aunty’s Sunday afternoon ‘medicinal need’ (before crying herself to sleep) to again once more standing centre stage amongst those who hanker for an alternative to Jaeger bombs and that inevitable night in casualty. 

The steady rise of independent distillers reflects and feeds this public zeitgeist, it seems like a week can’t go by without me hearing about yet another innovative gin – and I for one think the world is a much better place for it.

Undoubtedly what gives a gin its distinctive character is their particular mix of --usually-- top-secret botanicals; botanicals that a new breed of young, rebellious distillers are evermore adventurous with when forging the core flavour of their gins.

One of these adventurers is the Burnley based Batch Brew Company. Starting life as makers of craft beer they were turned on to gin while holidaying in Spain.

Produced in small batches, totaling no more than 50 litres a time, the aim here is perfection, with the makers going through 55 recipes before settling on what now sits in front of me in a stylish gold patterned bottle. 

Batch Premium Gin contains a combination of 12 botanicals and, as I mentioned earlier, distillers increasingly use more varied ingredients to make their product ‘stand out’ and this is no more apparent than with Batch because what certainly caught my eye with this gin was the inclusion of frankincense and myrrh, which has long been associated with the ancient Moor and Turk spice markets of Spain. All very Sunday School I think you’ll agree, with these intriguing ingredients in mind the question that demanded an answer was: Is it a match made in heaven or a biblical disaster?

Fox's tasting notes:
Hot and fragrant like an evening with a spinning flamenco dancer, but ending bitter and sweet, like the love of a night that was never-to-be. 

Batch tasting notes:
Nose: Spicy notes of frankincense and myrrh, then lemongrass, orange, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and allspice over a base of Juniper, coriander, cinnamon and angelica root. 

Taste: Rich and spicy 

Finish: Frankincense and myrrh botanicals leaving warm lingering tastes 

Average Price: £35 

Rating
9/10 

In answer to my previous question it’s definitely a divine gin and I look forward to the second coming. Batch Brew deserves its accolades and its silver medal at the San Francisco World Spirit Awards. This is a very nice gin and a worthy contribution to your drinks cupboard. There’s certainly a lot going on flavour wise, with layer after layer being uncovered with each extra sip. Perhaps a little too strong for use in a cocktail of more subtle flavours, it is nonetheless absolutely divine in an ice-cold gin and tonic. Also do be sure to try it as the distiller’s perfect serve suggests: over crushed frozen raspberries and fresh lime peel, you won’t be disappointed.