Daffy’s Gin review

A soupçon of very special gin –

Purchased on offer (expect to pay around £35), I grabbed this bottle of gin without my reading glasses – thinking it said ‘Duffy’s,’ which was my MIL’s nickname – on getting it home, though, I realized it was Daffy’s Premium Gin; and what a great mistake I’d made!

This small batch gin is made in Edinburgh at the Strathmashie Distillery, with the intention of creating the world’s best London Dry Gin that was “so good that you can enjoy it straight.”  They succeeded thanks to the slow, 9.5 hour distillation process (four hours is usual), although it took us a few moments to get our heads – or should I say taste buds – around the Lebanese Mint.

Other botanicals in this 43.4^% spirit include Juniper, Coriander, Angelica, Lemon Peel, Cassia and Orris, along with refreshing aromatics of citrus and spice, plus a subtle hint of toffee.  This gin, I might add, is one of the most complex I have tried and, to begin with, I really wasn’t sure whether I liked it: I think the mint threw me, but upon trying it neat, I began to realise what Daffy’s is all about.

“Hubby intends to try Daffy’s over mint chocolate ice cream”

It’s the depth of flavours, the actual ‘here and now’ experience from nose to sip – lemon, mint and orange citrus; through to the liquid spreading around the mouth.  The sweetness of Orris and Angelica followed by that delicious spicy edge of Coriander … ending with the swallow – a finish that is woody, toffee, caramel/chocolate(the Cassia) like a good malt whisky.  I agree with the maker’s description of the finish as “long, buttery and warm,” – but I’d better have another … just to make sure …

The bottle design comes from Robert McGinnis, famous for his work on James Bond and Matt Helm film posters, as well as Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

“Daffy is a Dickensian nickname for gin”

As our regular readers will know, we added a splash of Daffy’s to our homemade mushroom soup, and it worked really well – find the recipe here.   Lastly, this gin came with a label around its neck, which I nearly threw away – don’t! It is, in fact, a little matchstick like booklet, containing five seed sticks to grow your own Mentha piperita – Peppermint – which we will be planting next spring along with a variety of other gin botanicals we intend to try and grow.

D&T serve:

• 1 part Daffy’s
• 2 parts tonic
• 2 lime wedges
• Fresh mint