Suffolk brewer and distiller Adnams has unveiled a new gin and vodka, both made from rye.
Rising Sun Gin and Rye Hill Vodka have been produced from rye grown by the company’s chairman, Jonathan Adnams, at his farm in Reydon, close to the distillery in Southwold.
Rye, which is a complex grain to work with in drinks production, adds a great depth to both beers and spirits, with a drier and spicier finish than their barley equivalents.
Rising Sun Gin has been created from malted rye using the classic London dry method for making gin. Alongside botanicals including juniper, Adnams has added Japanese matcha tea and lemongrass to the finished spirit.
At 42% ABV, the gin is refreshing and full of natural aromatic flavours, recommended for serving with a good tonic and garnished with ginger and lime zest.
Rye Hill Rye Malt Vodka, also at 42% ABV, uses a recipe of 80% rye and 20% barley, resulting in a smooth and rich spirit with a hint of pepper.
The rye creates a drier vodka, which is spicier than Adnams East Coast Vodka, an all-barley recipe. Rye Hill has subtle aromas of rye bread and spice on the nose, with a long, dry and spicy finish.
Adnams head distiller John McCarthy, who created the new spirits, said: “We always like to play with flavours, techniques and unusual ingredients so were keen to experiment with rye.
“The two rye spirits are the ultimate examples of our in-house grain-to-glass production process as our own chairman has grown the rye in his back garden, only a stone’s throw away from the distillery.”
“Rye has been grown in Reydon for centuries and the village’s name is derived from the Old English words, ‘rey’ meaning rye and ‘don’ meaning Hill. Due to the village’s position on the Suffolk coast, our crop is amongst the first rye to catch the early morning rays as the sun rises above the North Sea. The spirits’ names were therefore natural choices: Rising Sun and Rye Hill.”
Both in 70cl bottles, the gin has a recommended price in retail of £28.99 while the vodka’s recommended retail price is £26.99.
