Chapter 5 | When seasons change

If you’ve read Chapter 4 you’ll know that our Summer Foraged Gin came about in 2020. Once I’d started working with the seasons, I was overwhelmed by inspiration for more. 

Because after all, nature doesn’t wait. The precious botanicals used to make Summer Foraged Gin are out of season as soon as they’re in. In fact some years, the weather conditions will mean I’m only able to forage and distill a very small amount.

In any case, it was clear that as the seasons turned in September I had an opportunity to grasp. Rowanberries, blackberries, elderberries, pears, rosehips… the list goes on. And so again, I experimented.

In parallel, I’d been learning about barrel ageing and loved the prospect of creating a darker spirit, particularly inviting in winter months. And so I decided to experiment further. The botanicals in this new Winter Foraged Gin worked fantastically with oak, I wondered if I could add warmth by resting it in charred oak barrels. 

Fast forward 6 months to when we cracked open the first barrel, the scent and flavour was immediate. I was both happy (and relieved!) to have crafted our Winter Foraged Gin, uniquely foraged and aged, now with a distinctive amber hue. 

It’s delicious with tonic, neat or even my favourite: paired with ginger ale over ice and garnished with orange peel. It seemed that working with the seasons not only made sense from a sustainability perspective, but also for flavour and experience. 

Next time, we’ll tell the story of Morva, completing the Lantic family of 4.