Ginraw, a gin created with a team including a bartender, sommelier, chef and perfumer, has been launched in the UK.
Leading drinks wholesaler Hammonds of Knutsford has agreed a distribution deal for Ginraw in the UK after the brand’s launch in Spain.
It is a citrusy and fresh gin made with botanicals including citrus fruits, lemon peel, citron peel, kaffir lime leaf, laurel, black cardamom, coriander seeds and juniper, with ABV of 42.3%.
It is produced in small batches in a copper still using a low-temperature distillation process with a system called Rotaval, which is used in haute cuisine. It comes in 70cl bottles with a recommended price in retail of £50.
The brand was created by Barcelona-based entrepreneurs Roger Burgués and Lluís Jáuregui with a team including bartender Javier Caballero, founder and director of consultancy Liquid Group, who wanted a gin that would be the best base for good-quality cocktails.
The team also included master perfumer Rosendo Mateu who was involved in selecting the ingredients and balancing the various botanicals, plus sommelier Sergi Figueras and chef Xano Saguer, the founding partner of EspaiSucre, the first restaurant specialising in desserts and a pastry school.
It is produced in the Mascaró distillery in Vilafranca del Penedès, west of Barcelona, under master distiller Montse Mascaró. It is described as capturing “the essence of Barcelona, to take consumers back to that great feeling you only get in that city”.
Roger said: “Ginraw is a blend of modernity tradition and craftsmanship, authenticity and creativity.”
Lluís added: “Ginraw’s uniqueness consists in the distillation at low temperature of its botanical ingredients, achieved using the Rotaval, a system devised and developed by chef Joan Roca, which enables us to capture the purest aromas of every ingredient selected by our team of experts.
“Ginraw means raw, pure and unadulterated gin. Thanks to the low-temperature distillation, the most delicate flavours and aromas of its botanicals are preserved.”
It was designed to be a fresh, smooth gin that was so fine that it could be drunk neat. It is also recommended for a classic gin and tonic and a Gimlet. Signature serves include a Pink Kiss, in which the sharpness of pineapple, strawberries and cava combines elegantly with the structure and aromatic complexity of Ginraw.
The bottle, designed by Jokin Arregi, features an oversized cap made from ash wood from sustainable forests, combined with an aluminium ring. A gradated frosting evokes the low temperature of the production process and leads down to the clear bottom that showcases the purity of the product. The base imitates traditional water or tonic water bottles.
Tasting notes from Hammonds of Knutsford
The nose offers an excellent aromatic intensity, essentially fresh with crispy citrus and floral notes and green tips of the combination of lemon, citron and kaffir lime leaf. Juniper is present in a very structured aromatic base with the alcohol perfectly integrated. Full-bodied and voluminous on the palate, it is smooth, pleasant and elegant. Floral aspects with a velvety feel, spicy and effervescent hints and a subtle smoky nuance. Freshness and warmth evenly coexist with a balsamic background, characteristic of juniper. Its lingering finish on the palate is long and delightful.
