Flowers are a popular ingredient in craft gin production. This is because they add a unique flavour to the final product. Flowers also give the gin a floral aroma that people enjoy.
Flowers used in the process of making craft gin include:
- Lavender - rose petals
- Lemon grass
- Orange flowers
- Verbena
- Roses
- Elderflower
- Honeysuckle
- Lemon flowers
- Chamomile
Lavender, one very popular flower used for this purpose, is also a member of the mint family and has been traditionally use to make herbal tea and medicines. It's flavour pairs well with juniper berries which is the predominant ingredient found in gins around the world. Some people believe that certain flavours can be attributed to different types of flowers such as; citrus fruits like oranges go great with verbena while herbs like thyme work best when paired with chamomile or coriander seeds. In some cases, spices may actually overpower floral aromas so good pairing is essential when it comes to crafting a great tasting gin.
The Craft Gin Laboratory, an American distillery located in Los Angeles California, are dedicated to this craft and have their own line of gins named after flowers they use for flavouring such as The Botanist Islay Dry Gin which is made with over 20 different botanical ingredients including juniper berries, angelica root, coriander seeds and elderflower liqueur.
There are quite a few flowers used in the production of craft gin which helps to make each batch unique. Some producers also use fruit peels or even chocolate for flavouring their gins making them slightly sweeter than traditional gins, but floral gin is a very unique taste altogether.
The next time you want to try out a different flavoured craft gin, why not try one with floral botanicals, and see how you like it? \