Ferdinand's Saar Dry Gin
A slight hint of juniper, honey, and floral sweetness greet the nose as it becomes enveloped in citrus and a wonderfully complex herbaceous tone. Hints of thyme and a kick of ginger are incredibly inviting. The gin owes its lustrous mouthfeel to the addition of just a small amount of Riesling to the grain distillate, which is then left to rest a short while et voila!, magic for your taste buds. There are few gins we’ve tried that manage to tame this many botanicals into a cohesive-tasting spirit, kudos to Mr. Vallendar.
Deep in the heart of the Saar, which is known as Riesling country, there is a small distillery that has offered an interesting twist on a classic spirit. Master Distiller Andreas Vallendar, whose family has been distilling fine spirits in the region since 1824, partnered with Dorothee Zilliken of the VDP Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken estate (who have more than 270 years of winemaking experience) and a local firm named Capulet & Montague (looking to add a little romance to their gin perhaps?) to create this original spirit. Using organic grain as the base, and more than 30 local, organic botanicals, Vallendar crafts a gin that we’re sure will rise to the popularity like another botanical-heavy gin has over the last few years. In a nod to family history, the gin owes its name to the royal Prussian District Forester Ferdinand Geltz, who co-founded the VDP Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Zilliken estate, one of Germany’s finest vineyards. Give the Gin and Vermouth a try in even proportion for a Martini unlike anything you’ve ever tasted!