ADVANCED MIXOLOGY
THAT’S THE SPIRIT
AMPED UP
F lavors By Michael Tulipan
Caorunn Highland Strength Gin Amps Up Both Flavor And Abv For A New CocktailFriendly Spirit
C
aorunn Highland Strength takes the original awardwinning Caorunn (pronounced ‘ka-roon’) Gin recipe and amps up both the flavors and the ABV to create a cocktailfriendly new spirit now available in the United States. Founded in 1824, the Balmenach Distillery in the Scottish Highlands has long been associated with excellence in whisky production. Taking inspiration from the bounty of herbaceous plants found around the distillery, the team set about creating a unique small batch gin marrying five Scottish botanicals with more traditional ones like angelica root, coriander seeds, and juniper, establishing Caorunn Gin in 2009. In celebration of the gin’s tenth anniversary, the brand offers a new expression with bartenders in mind.
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“Many UK gin brands are exploring Navy Strength or higher ABV expressions due to their versatility for mixing and enhanced botanical flavor,” says Lynne Buckley, brand manager. Caorunn Gin’s new Highland Strength weighs in at a bold 54% ABV and is currently being debuted in the United States. The base for both gins include the namesake rowan berry (Caorunn in Gaelic), bog myrtle, heather, dandelion and coul blush apple. The two most prominent botanicals to Caorunn’s flavor profile—aside from juniper—are the rowan berry, which thrives on hills and rocky, peaty soil adding bitter notes, and Coul Blush apple, a dessert apple unique to northern Scotland, bringing a crisp acidity and clean, sweet taste to the gin. Each botanical is hand-foraged and all can be found within a short walk of the distillery. The slow distillation process utilizes the world's only operating Copper Berry Chamber, which was built in the 1920s to extract essential oils as a base for perfumes. Today, it serves to extract maximum flavor from the botanicals.
Gin Master Simon Buley says of the ABV, “I find the higher the alcohol content, the quicker the alcohol evaporates in your mouth, leaving the botanical flavors prominent on your palate.” The resulting gin has a peppery, fruity, and herbaceous flavor profile but retains strong juniper characteristics. “Working with a higher strength ABV gin allows the flavors to be carried through stronger and for longer,” says brand ambassador Stuart Baxter. “This helps ensure a more prominent drink with a wider range of dilution and therefore a wider range of flavor profiles.” Try Caorunn Highland Strength on its own or paired with Fever-Tree Indian Tonic. For more inspiration, mix it with high quality bitters, vermouths, and fortified wines like sherry.
