Last summer, Ireland’s The Shed Distillery released yet another in a growing lineup of unique botanical offshoots from their flagship Gunpowder Irish Gin. The name here is, once again, conveniently self-explanatory, but unlike the Sardinian Citrus and California Citrus offerings that came before, this latest edition showcases a citrus-adjacent botanical: pineapple. And not just any pineapple but Brazilian pineapple, which distillery founder PJ Rigney discovered on his travels to Natal, Brazil during Carnival (incidentally, not the first trip to inspire a new Drumshanbo gin). As the story goes, PJ stumbled upon what locals called “abacaxi,” Portuguese for “thorny fruit,” so he decided to make it the showpiece of this newest gin bill which vapor infuses the Brazilian pineapple, along with grapefruit, lime, and the trademark gunpowder tea, into the standard gin recipe. Let’s check it out.

Drumshanbo with Brazilian Pineapple Gunpowder Irish Gin Tasting Notes

The new Brazilian botanical is readily apparent on the nose, although perhaps not quite what fans of fruit cocktail might expect. It’s bright and juicy but a bit underripe with a less concentrated sweetness than the stuff you might find in chunks or rings at the supermarket. Undertones of juniper and that trademark, dry gunpowder green tea spice accentuate the tropical fruit notes while a fresh squeeze of lime and a bit of licorice round out an impressive bouquet.

On the palate, there’s more of the same with early notes of tea leaves and matcha giving way to the pulpy, high tone sweetness of the Brazilian pineapple. Citrus shines on the midpalate with dried grapefruit and lime zest before a warm finish of white pepper, pine resin, and cardamom pods arrives. The headlining botanical makes for a fun twist on gin cocktails like the Last Word or a classic martini, but there’s also enough citrus in the mix for a simpler Gin & Tonic. It’s another impressive gin release from The Shed Distillery. Keep traveling, PJ!

86 proof.

A- / $37

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