Ink Gin, one of Australia’s newest craft spirits, premiered in Melbourne last week at the Top Shelf Boutique Show.
In a world first, Ink Gin is a dry gin, organically infused with Butterfly Pea flower petals, has a very special edge…it changes colour! The flower petal infusion imparts beautiful and luxurious hues of royal blue and purple that change dramatically to soft blush pink when mixed with tonic water, lemon or lime juice. The floral ink adds a subtle astringency leaving the palate crisp and clean and paving the way for the citrus and floral notes of the other botanicals in a long finish.
“This is mixology and science at its best”, says distiller, Paul Messenger. ‘The natural floral ink is pH sensitive so when developing the recipe it was important to ensure the selection and measure of botanicals was both balanced and in harmony with the flower. We needed to make sure that none of the ingredients would affect the pH of the liquid in the bottle.’
Ink Gin has a neutral pH but tonic water usually has a pH of around 3. When mixed, the pH is significantly lowered resulting in the dramatic colour play.
Locally grown lemon myrtle sits next to Hungarian juniper berries at the top of the flavour profile. Tasmanian pepperberry and freshly peeled, sun dried orange peel also feature prominently, while another ten organic botanicals including coriander, cinnamon, elderflower, oris and liquorice root add balance and fragrance. The result is a dry gin with marked floral and citrus notes, easily enjoyed straight or on the rocks.
Ink Gin tastings (neat and with tonic), cocktails and bottles from the limited batch002 were all available to festival-‐goers at Top Shelf.
‘We we’re totally bowled over by the response we got in Melbourne,’ said Husk Distillers’ Harriet Messenger. ‘People particularly loved the layered Ink&Tonic that we served up. That’s one of my favourite things about Ink – it can turn the humble G&T into a cocktail.’
Ink Gin is handmade at Tumbulgum in Northern NSW and is available online at www.inkgin.com or from selected outlets along the East Coast.
To stock Ink Gin email [email protected].