Miller’s Norwegian distillery unveils ‘foraged’ gin
Marcin Miller’s new distillery has launched Vidda Tørr Gin, made with botanicals foraged from the Norwegian wilderness including meadowsweet, heather and bilberry.
New Vidda Tørr Gin is “inspired by nature”The latest offering from Oslo Håndverksdestilleri (OHD) is described as “an interpretation of a traditional British dry gin infused with Nordic botanicals”.
Named Vidda, which translates as ‘mountain plateau’, the gin is made from juniper, heather, yarrow, chamomile flower, bilberry, angelica root, meadowsweet, sorrel, calamus root, elderflower and pine shoots – combined to “accentuate” the flavours found on Nordic mountain-plains.
Head distiller, Dave Gardonio, said: “Nature is our inspiration. The conditions of the seasons in Norway means we experience short, intense growing periods that greatly impact the flavour of the wild herbs and spices that grow around us. We use these naturalised botanicals to create the distinct aroma and taste of Vidda.”
While structural work continues at OHD, located in the Bryn area of Oslo, Vidda is currently being produced at Ægir brewery where OHD’s head distiller, Gardonio formerly worked as head brewer.
On the nose the expression offers “intense” juniper with floral aromas along with notes of pine, while on the palate it is earthy, sweet, peppery and herbal. Vidda is said to have a clean, herbaceous finish, with a floral and honey sweetness.
OHD is dedicated to reviving back Norway’s independent distilling traditions, while creating artisanal spirits using Norwegian botanicals.
Co-founder and partner in OHD, Marius Vestnes, added: “The idea for Vidda came from a trip to my cabin, which is illustrated on the bottle: it is where my family and I go to enjoy the pure air, the peace and quiet – our little piece of heaven, if you like. For me, our gin succeeds in capturing the essence of the mountainscapes and what it means to be Norwegian.”
Vidda is bottled at 43% abv and has the RRP of £39.95. It will be made available at selected specialist retailers.
In January the distillery launched its inaugural product: a digestive bitter named Marka, made from dandelion, bog myrtle and angelica root.
