Cornish Gin finds celestial inspiration
If you enjoy a good Sci-Fi spoof, I would suggest Sigourney Weaver’s Star Trek send up “Galaxy Quest” is light years ahead of the competition, but can also report that the makers of this Cornish gin, which sports a similarly heavenly title, also hit the spot with their inclusion of a tantalising Antipodean botanical.
The ‘Pilgrim and Galaxy hop GIN’ comes in at a regulation 40% ABV though there is so much going on with both the nose and the taste that it demands as much of your attention as a good movie. And according to the Pocket full of Stones distillery which produces the small batch spirit, the Tasmanian grown Galaxy hop releases peach and passionfruit flavours, while the cast list also includes the decidedly more local Pilgrim hop to introduce a “spicy citrus character”.
“To boldly gin where no man has ginned before!”
I’ve tried it neat as well as with plain Indian tonic water to try and decide what else is to the fore, without being able to nail it down. Juniper of course and some orange, while Grains of Paradise could also feature, but it’s important to say that the overall impact stays on the London Dry side of the universe, rather than warping off down the slippery slope of sweetness or morphing into a teenage type fruit alcopop.
And if the maker’s name sounds familiar to any of our readers it may well be that they’ve scanned the review of Caspyn Midsummer Dry Gin which we also picked up locally and liked a lot. The team, who also produce whisky and absinth when they’re not surfing off Cornwall’s beaches, proudly claim that the Pilgrim and Galaxy Hop concoction is “One of our most full bodied gins.”
You can make your own mind up for around £40 to buy a 70 cl bottle, from various online sellers.
