Adnams launches new gin and vodka

Suffolk brewer and distiller Adnams has unveiled two new rye-based spirits – Adnams Rising Sun Gin and Rye Hill Vodka.

Rye-based spirits Rye Hill Vodka and Rising Sun Gin are made at the brewery and distillery in Southwold

Both spirits have been made using rye grown by Jonathan Adnams at his farm in Reydon, just a few miles away from the brewery and distillery in Southwold.

The rye is said to add a great depth to both beers and spirits due to its complexity, with a drier and spicier finish than their barley equivalents.

Rising Sun Gin has been created from malted rye using the classic London dry method for making gin. Alongside a blend of botanicals including juniper, orange peel and ginger, Adnams has also added Japanese matcha tea and lemongrass.

At 42% ABV, the gin is said to go well with a good tonic and best garnished with ginger and lime zest.

Rye Hill Rye Malt Vodka, also at 42% ABV, uses a recipe of 80% rye and 20% barley, resulting in a “smooth and rich” spirit with a hint of pepper. The spirit is said to have subtle aromas of “rye bread and spice on the nose, with a long, dry and spicy finish”.

John McCarthy, head distiller at Adnams, said: “We always like to play with flavours, techniques and unusual ingredients so were keen to experiment with rye. The two rye spirits are the ultimate examples of our in-house grain-to-glass production process as our own chairman has grown the rye in his own fields, just a few miles from the distillery.

“Rye has been grown in Reydon for centuries and the village’s name is derived from the Old English words, Rey meaning Rye, and Don meaning Hill. Due to the village’s position on the Suffolk Coast, our crop is amongst the first rye to catch the early morning rays as the sun rises above the North Sea. The spirits’ names were therefore natural choices: Rising Sun and Rye Hill.”

Both available in 70cl bottles, the gin is priced at £28.99 while the vodka is priced at £26.99.