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Eden Mill reveals first gin in ultra-premium line
Scottish producer Eden Mill has unveiled the inaugural gin in its new ultra-premium Distiller’s Choice range.
Created by Eden Mill’s senior distilling team, the new Distiller’s Choice line comprises modern gins that ‘embrace the best of old and new distilling techniques’.
Eden Mill CEO and co-founder Tony Kelly said: “Eden Mill has always been at the forefront of trends within the spirits industry and we pride ourselves on our pioneering spirit and desire to go beyond the conventional.
“We started in 2012 with the mission to revive the lost art of distilling and brewing in St Andrews by creating small batch, craft products from our site on the bank of the Eden Estuary.
“With our Distiller’s Choice range, we’d like to take our audience back to our roots when our distilling team would create various small batch gin expressions and experiment with techniques and flavours.”
Described as a ‘lightly spiced, creamy’ expression, Oak Old Tom Gin was chosen by Eden Mill’s head distiller Scott Ferguson to be the first release of the collection.
The 40% ABV gin is said to combine Fergusons’ classic gin distilling method with his experience of building flavour profiles for Eden Mill since 2012, when he became the third person to join the company.
Ferguson used the same American oak chips from Eden Mill’s Oak Gin to age the new expression, resulting in a gin with a ‘balance of creamy oak and vanilla sweetness combined with the aromatic cassia spice and a light peppery finish’.
Ferguson said: “One of the lightly sweetened gins that was popular in 18th century, Old Tom gin has been rumoured to have got its name from what was essentially the first ever vending machine for drinks.
“During the gin craze in the 1700s, the government tried to stem the flow of gin, which they blamed for ‘extreme drunkenness’ and crime by introducing prohibitive taxes. So to get round the licensing, some pubs would have a wooden plaque shaped like a black cat, ‘Old Tom’ on their outside wall.
“Thirsty bypassers would place a penny in the cat’s mouth and place their lips around a small tube between the cat’s paws. The bartender inside would then pour a shot of gin through the tube and into the customer’s waiting mouth.”
The new gin is recommended served with tonic and an orange twist.
Distiller’s Choice Oak Old Tom Gin is available to buy from the Eden Mill website for £40 (US$55.60) per 700ml.