Conservationist Elephant Gin moves into barrel ageing

Africa-inspired brand Elephant Gin has launched a limited-edition expression that contains a new base ingredient, a higher proportion of botanicals, and is aged in oak barrels.

For the new bottling, Elephant Gin changed its base to a 100% rye pot-distilled spirit, but kept the same 14 botanicals used in its core expression – including ingredients sourced from Africa.

However, the brand increased the quantities of botanicals used in order to “achieve a higher concentration of aromas” that “remain prominent after the ageing process”.

The gin was then aged for one year in three different types of oak – including new and seasoned oak barrels.

“The result is a premium rye-based Elephant London Dry Gin of 52% abv aged in oak for an elevated smoothness, additional silky spice, sweet smokiness and a pleasant hint of vanilla, excellent sipped on its own with ice, or even in a carefully balanced cocktail,“ the brand said.

In March last year, Elephant Gin unveiled a navy strength expression, bottled at 57% abv.

The brand, which supports the conservation of the African elephant by donating 15% of profits from every bottle sold to charity, first launched in 2013.

It is distilled in Hamburg, Germany using 14 botanicals including the African superfruit baobab, African wormwood and Buchu, a plant native to western South Africa.