“Can I come an bring you some gin to try?” Just one of the reasons I love having my own shop when people as questions like this.
Fiona from Clwydian Range Distillery arrives a couple of days later with her samples for me to try.
Fiona and family (Husband who is the one working the stil and the kids who forage for botanicals) says they started up last November. She uses blackcurrants grown in her garden which they have recently had to increase adding another 40 bushes! They also use wild Gorse cut from Halkyn Mountain as one of the major ingredients.
The Marmalade and Bayleaf is a 40% proof. There is a lot of labour-intensive cooking and straining the fruits and leaves for this gin which results in a delicious juicy gin which is sweet and spiced. I can see this in a glass over ice sipping away in my back garden. Fiona says to try this one with Fever tree spiced ginger ale or to garnish it in tonic with some pink grapefruit.
The Blackcurrant gin was dark, dense and again really juicy! Easy to drink over ice buy Fiona recommends a Rose lemonade with this one and a sprinkling of dried hibiscus. Sounds right up my street.
"Why have you chosen a tortoise for you lables?” I asked. Turns out Fiona has eight of them! Some of them are the big African ones.
Another fantastic local producer. #LoveLiveLocal
£12 for a 100ml bottle. Arriving Thursday 21st March just in time for Mothers Day!
To purchase a bottle click Here or visit our shop in Rhuddlan