Review: Tamworth Garden Emshika’s Garden Thai Chili Gin

We’ve reviewed a number of gins from Tamworth Garden Distillery, and they make brilliant spirits with a healthy irreverence for tradition, but the one we sample today is the most unusual we’ve tried to date. Emshika’s Garden Thai Chili Gin is, as the name subtly suggests, made with Thai chilis in collaboration with Chang Thai Café. The other botanicals in the gin are juniper and makrut lime leaf. Only three ingredients, and about as far from London Dry style as one can get. Let’s give it a try.

Tamworth Garden Emshika’s Garden Thai Chili Gin Review

On the nose, the chilis appear front and center, offering a piquant note, but they are balanced and held in check by bold lime citrus as well as piney, peppery juniper. All three ingredients offer clearly defined aromas that are anything but subtle. And yet, while all three notes can be identified and enjoyed, they seem to coexist rather than integrate as a coherent whole.

On the palate, the chilis play a bigger role, offering a bold, spicy bite. Pine, lime citrus, and pepper follow but play second fiddle. I was happy to find that the palate comes together better than the nose does. The dominant role of the chilies provides heat but also the structure that the lime and juniper notes support. As with other gins from Tamworth Garden, the botanicals really shine, and each can be appreciated for what it brings to the whole.

I tried the gin in a G&T, and I simply did not like it. The chilis stood out so pungently that they overwhelmed the drink. But this gin would however be an unmistakable component in cocktails, and I expect it would be outstanding in a sweeter drink, like a Gimlet or a Bee’s Knees, balancing the sweetness with spicy heat.

This gin isn’t for everyone, but for fans of adventurous gins, and particularly those who also like things spicy, this is going to be worth hunting down.

96 proof.

B+ / $55

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