Tucked away in the southweest corner of Ireland is the beautiful Dingle peninsula. It’s famous for its spetacular scenery, its friendly resident dolphin, and now for its distillery. Like many of the new breed of distillers emerging in both Ireland and Scotland, Dingle Distillery have been producing gin to generate revenue while their whiskey matures. But don’t dismiss Dingle Gin as just a cash grab – this stuff’s really, really good. Award-winningly good, in fact: it was voted World’s Best Gin in 2019.
Dingle Gin is produced in the style of a London Dry Gin, but the botanicals used are typical of the vegetation of County Kerry. It’s a unique combination of rowan, heather, bog myrtle, hawthorn and fuchsia, adding a profoundly Irish character to the usual juniper notes. It’s a classic style with a very modern twist. By the way, the water used to make this gin is drawn from a well directly under the distillery, so everything is very locally sourced!
What is Dingle Gin like to drink?
Crisp and clean, first and foremost. Bright, floral notes are present in the aroma, along with pine and… is that mint? The first sip reveals balanced complexity, with those interesting Irish botanicals coming through. There’s a certain herbal character, perhaps from the heather and hawthorn, and a slightly peppery finish. Texture-wise it’s on the lighter side, not oily or sticky, which adds to the overall freshness and crispness.
What’s the best way to enjoy Dingle Gin?
Although we would say that Dingle Gin is certainly good enough to enjoy without a mixer, for us it’s best mixed with a good Mediterranean tonic water and a slice of lemon or pink grapefruit. If cocktails are your thing, this gin is an excellent base for classics like a Tom Collins or a Negroni. Just the thing to enjoy outdoors on those long, warm summer evenings.
