Review: Wilde Irish Gin

Three guesses to figure out where Wilde Irish Gin hails from — and, no, the spirit isn’t purple, only the bottle is. Made in West Cork from 100% Irish grain, the pot-distilled gin’s botanicals aren’t specified save for a couple: wild mountain purple heather and bitter orange peel.

Quite aromatic, there’s a strong floral thread up top, evoking lavender and clean linens, then a milder citrus quality. Juniper isn’t particularly heavy here, as the gin takes an overall fresher and more perfumed approach.

On the palate, the gin carries much more of a punch. Here the florals become far more perfumed — heavy and a little overbearing, as if you just walked into a Sephora. Flamed orange peel, grapefruit, and a pinch of spun sugar sweetness make an appearance before the gin segues into a heavier herbal character that evokes rosemary, lime leaf, and, eventually, fresh juniper branches.

A surprising powerhouse of flavor that still makes me feel like I’m traipsing through a field of blossoms, I expect this gin’s heavy floral component will ultimately be polarizing — just as the namesake writer that inspired the name of the gin was, back in his day.

94 proof.

B / $50 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

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