Gin Festival Glasgow 2017

For the first time since established in 2013 the Gin Festival landed in Glasgow and boy was I super excited to be invited along. With over 100 gins available to try, cocktails and masterclasses there was plenty for a gin lover to be giddy about!

A few months ago I received an email from the lovely Laura, a PR for the festival, offering me 2 press passes plus drinks tokens for any of the 5 already sold out time slots. Knowing about the festival already I actually had tickets for the Friday evening but not wanting to miss out on another opportunity to go I replied asking to go during the Saturday evening session. I have to say for the rest of the day I had an extra spring in my step in work. I am still a relatively new blogger so be invited along to a gin related event as big as this…eeeep! Let the fun beGIN!

Upon arrival to The Briggait every guest was given a rather large Gin Festival glass containing the ‘little black book of gin’ listing every gin available to try. We were also given a pen, an order form and a badge to wear to regain entry if we left the premises for whatever reason. On the Saturday I was also given my blogger pack which was a canvas bag containing my blogger lanyard, extra information about the festival and £20 worth of drinks tokens.

What was available?

The bars containing the over 100 types of gin available were split into 4: A and B were British gins, C contained Gins of the World and D was the sloe gins and liqueurs. Each drink token cost £5 and got you your gin of choice and a perfectly matched garnish and mixer. As the festival was sponsored by Fevertree all the mixers were available making your drink even more special! There was also a cocktail bar if you wanted something a little more. I only tried one cocktail- the Tipsy Rocket, absolutely delicious by the way- as I wanted to try as many gins as possible.

What did I try?

Armed with my little black book of gin I went to every bar and stall to try as many gins as possible. It’s a hard job but someone has to do it right? I must stress that I tried a total of 20 gins but I did go over 2 days and some were just tasters…I swear!

Half Hitch: London, England. This unusual gin has been dubbed the ‘G with the Tea’ as it masterfully blends bergamot with Malawian tea to give the sense of drinking Earl Grey Tea. It also contains a lovely note of pine and spices such as nutmeg and bell pepper. Again I would drink this with Indian tonic water with a simple orange wedge to garnish.

Pinkster: Cambridge, England. Yes this gin is pink and no it’s not been added for effect. Pinkster contains only 5 botanicals including raspberries so it’s a relatively simple gin however the flavour is outstanding. Paired with indian tonic water and not surprisingly raspberries with a sprig of mint.

Electric Spirit Co Lux: Leith, Scotland. This delicious- and Scottish-gin is both bold and warming, the bottle is a bright orange and reflects the flavour profiles. The grape like taste matches brilliantly with a slightly spiced juniper. An orange slice with Indian tonic water will create a magnificent gin and tonic.

Kokoro: London, England. This particular gin has a Japanese influence and contains botanicals such as the Japanese Sansho berry, giving it a strong peppery citrus flavour with hints of marzipan. Pairing this with indian tonic water and hibiscus flowers with pink grapefruit will enhance those lovely botanicals and give a pinky purple colour.

Opihr: Warrington, England. If you are looking for a peppery gin with a kick then look no further. This oriental inspired gin has tasting notes of spiced pepper it is sure to delight the taste buds. Pair it with a garnish of bell pepper and some ginger ale for something a little different.

Sir Robin of Locksley: Sheffield, England. This was definitely my friend’s choice who is from Nottingham, the home of Robin Hood! But of course she light be try it and it was incredibly light! With its citrus notes I could definitely see myself sipping this over ice. If not then I would pair it with some Mediterranean tonic and a garnish of pink grapefruit.

Big Boss: Porto, Portugal. Containing 11 different botanicals and distilled 4 times, Big Boss is certainly a unique gin. With refreshing tasting notes of angelica and cardamom pairing it with Mediterranean tonic, a slice of apple and pink peppercorns will certainly create a sensational drinking experience. I spoke to quite a few people and they were drinking this so it was definitely a popular choice.

There was so much more at the bar that I could try also-I could go on forever! But there were 3 really stand out gins that were exhibited at the festival.

The New One:

Tinker Gin distilled in Yorkshire, England is only 3 WEEKS OLD. Yes that’s right! So very new indeed! It has been described as ‘a bottle of sexy sunshine’ so was delighted to try it. Inspired by the sun, sea and sand of Spanish gin and tonics this amazing gin brings all those delicious flavours together using their special blend of botanicals including elderberry. I was lucky enough to catch the masterclass where their brand ambassador explained how it’s made-a little bit of science to the night. Of course I had to buy a bottle to add to my collection! I can’t wait to sip a Tinker G&T with light tonic water and a garnish of pear – I’ll be transported to the lovely Spanish beaches

The Unusual One:

Black Tomato Gin from the Netherlands is distilled with-you guessed it- black tomatoes! With a splash of sea water added to the blend this gin has a beautiful balance of sweet and savoury. It really was the talk of the night as the tomato flavour comes through in your head it shouldn’t work but it honestly tastes amazing! I would pair this with Mediterranean tonic and a garnish of basil and orange. Or if you are a fan of a bloody mary cocktail use this gin instead of vodka.

The Glaswegian One:

It wouldn’t be a Glasgow Gin Festival without showcasing a gin of our very own making! So I present to you Makar, distilled in Glasgow! And as expected from anything from Glasgow it really has a punch! Paired with an indian tonic water and a mild green chilli the spiced filled flavour profile really comes through. 

As you can tell I am very passionate about gin so being able to attend this festival twice was absolutely fantastic. Everyone I spoke to seemed to be having a great time-even those who aren’t ‘gin drinkers’ enjoyed themselves. I always say that those who don’t like gin just haven’t found the one yet! So hopefully I have inspired you to go out and try some.

Have you ever been to a gin festival? Do you have a favourite gin?

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