Copperwave Distilled Gin created by Hunter Distillery
I am one of those people who love a G&T, and I love touring distilleries. I love talking to the people who make the gin and of course tasting the gin. I thought I’d start a series here sharing the gins I love.
My reviews will be based on small batch distilleries. Not that there are not really good commercially produced gins, in fact there are some that are excellent, but I am really excited by what some smaller independent producers are turning out.
The last stop on our last road trip was in the beautiful Hunter Valley NSW. This is an area well known for its wines, and rightfully so, the area produces very fine wines and we have toured this area before with wine exploration as our main activity. On this trip we were more tuned into breweries and of course distilleries. We chose Hunter Distillery on Pokolbin Road.
Hunter Distillery has a wide range of gin, vodka, liqueurs, schnapps and aged spirits. They are locally owned and operated, and some of their products have garnered awards. One in particular is the Copperwave Distilled Gin, which is the subject of this post today.
The distillery is in a large shed, you enter into the tasting room and can catch a glimpse of the stills and other machinery that makes the magic further back into the space. One of the differences about the tastings here were that the tastes were served in test tubes adding a bit of scientist vibe to the affair.
Our tasting guide was super friendly and bubbly and she regaled us with stories about how she liked to cook with and enjoy the gins as we tried them, and about life with a toddler living in the country. She displayed just the right amount of personal enthusiasm mixed with heaps of information about the products in an amusing and not pressure sales way. I really apreciate when there is no hard sell, but more an information sharing attitude when I go to a tasting. If I feel pressured I dont buy.
So on to the gin. Copperwave Distilled Gin is a traditional London Gin, it has the usual juniper, and then an assortment of botanicals that make it quite herbal and earthy, but with a distinct citrus note, and some delightful Asian spice flavours to really deepen the aroma and lengthen the taste. There is a hint of aniseed flavour, and a lovely rich mouth feel which reminds me of a bechamel sauce with a hint of nutmeg. I know that sounds weird, I was trying for ages to work out what the taste reminded me of, but I just recently made bechamel sauce for a lasagne and when I added the nutmeg it took me right there too.
We tried six gins from the Hunter Distillery range, and for me the Copperwave was the standout. If you are in the Hunter Valley I highly recommend a visit, tell them I sent you. No reason to tell them that but isn’t that what everyone says when they recommend a place? I am down to almost the bottom of my Copperwave Distilled Gin bottle, so I am gently pushing for another trip to the Hunter Valley to obtain another, and to sample a few of the other gins I didnt buy last time to see if I should add to my collection. Although the truth is I could go online and order from their website, which if you are not near the Hunter Valley I highly recommend, but, I love a road trip so I’d be just as happy to go back and purchase in person.