Jump aboard the Hogwarts Express
The plain appearance to the label on Forager’s Winter Gin offers little hint of the depth of flavour lurking within the clear glass bottle, though its small print does reveal an intriguing botanical list that Hermione might have assembled had Hogwarts’ professor of potions asked the class to start stilling something for the staff Christmas party.
In fact I reckon this Devonian distillation is the first brand we’ve sampled which contains Mugwort, Yarrow or Pineapple Weed, though these unfamiliar infusions are married with more commonly encountered citrus notes as well as the juniper. It also seemed fitting that Forager’s found its way into our fridge thanks to the kindness of our neighbours, Ann and Martyn ‘Taffy’ Evans. Some readers may remember the former Royal Marine helping us illustrate the substance of another seasonal Dartmoor product – Ten Tor – with pictures of an Army helicopter working alongside his Dartmoor Rescue Group.
“We also dedicated our Pull the Pin Gin review to Taffy’s legendary exploits as a party animal.”
Like the makers of the blackberry, sloe and hawthorn concoction, the Ground Up Cookery School responsible for Forager’s Winter Gin (and several other spirits) is a family run business where clients can learn about pickling, curing and fermenting, as well as taking courses on cooking fish, pasta or even Asian street food.
And as well as 70 cl bottles of its spirits, the firm based on a farm at Crockernwell sells various sets of miniatures allowing you to try the Wild Plum and Mugwort or Crabapple and Rose gins, as well as the sumptuous sounding Cherry Chocolate and Hogweed Seed Rum. Can’t you just imagine pouring that over the Christmas pudding!
As usual we first sampled Forager’s Winer Gin with a slice of lime and a plain Indian tonic before going on to try it with other mixers. The good news is that at a solid 40% ABV, Forager’s rich and earthy flavour continued to stand and deliver.
