Drink of the Week: Gunpowder Irish Gin With Italian Fig & Laurel

As I’ve often mentioned in this column, one of my favorite things about gin is the sheer versatility. It’s a veritable blank canvas of a spirit. And at Irish distillery The Shed, makers of the creative Gunpowder Irish Gin line, they like to paint with all the colors. Their newest release leans Mediterranean, in a collaboration with Italian mixologist Bruno Vanzan, for the Gunpowder Irish Gin with Italian Fig & Laurel. Initially slated to be a limited release, the gin will now be a permanent expression.

While the gin itself is clear, the striking purple gradient of the bottle feels like an apt aesthetic representation of the Italian Viola figs that flavor the spirit. The botanical bill also features Tuscan juniper and savory Italian laurel. All are built against the gin’s standard lineup of citrus like lemon, lime, and grapefruit, as well as the namesake Gunpowder green tea. Fig may be a more subtle flavor to work with, but the gin captures a vibrantly sweet and juicy aroma that carries through the first sips. The more bitter and savory botanicals offer a solid counterbalance, and the gin finishes with just a hint of sweetness.

With a richer, more rounded mouthfeel compared to a traditional London dry, the Gunpowder Irish Gin with Italian Fig & Laurel would make for a decadent spritz, the bubbles serving to lift the aromatics. Lean into the fruit-forward profile by mixing up a classic Tom Collins, or go for an extra juicy version of a Clover Club. The cocktail bar is your canvas, after all. $41.99, totalwine.com

Classic Tom CollinsClover Club

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