From the Emerald Isle, this gin has quite a story attached to it. Unusually for a small batch gin, the distillation uses milk whey alcohol, rather than potato or grain. With this in mind, the distillers attempt to capture the verve of Bertha in the gin. Bertha is a Guinness World Record holder, reaching the delightful old age of 48. She must have been a well-tempered beast, because the spirit captured in the, er, spirit is quite extraordinary.
Your humble Middle-Class Reviewer has tried milk whey spirits before. Almost universally they are repulsive, thick affairs with the consistency of saliva, however Bertha’s Revenge manages to be none of these things. There is a hint of the buttery texture that one might associate with a Chardonnay rich with Diacetyl, however not even the smallest hint of butter to the tastebuds. What one does experience, however, is the gentle caress of the botanicals. Well, botanicals may be an overemphasis on the plural, because really what one experiences on the sip is cardamom. This is not necessarily a bad thing. The gin makes something of it; unlike certain other cardamom-heavy gins (Ophir, you’ve been naughty) this is almost entirely unlike drinking a Biryani. The spice compliments and enriches the alcohol in a way that is terribly pleasing to the taste buds. The finish to this gin has a distinct pepperiness that distracts and distances from the initial cardamom taste, balancing out on the tongue with aplomb.
To appreciate this gin, one should really pick a sharper garnish. Tonight, a frozen blackberry and a couple of razor-thin shavings of pear were selected. Whilst this fruity accompaniment was not unpleasant, one cannot help but feel that something a little sharper would be more fitting. Citrus, for sure. Not lemon or lime though. Perhaps a slice of bergamot, or perhaps even a few shaving of lemongrass would better compliment this mix. For the second glass, a sprig of Holy Basil and a just half a leaf of spearmint have added a frisson of colour to proceedings.
For a G&T, the spectre of “aromatic” tonic waters may rear its ugly and unsophisticated head. One could imagine there being some place for such monstrosities; Bertha was after all several hundred kilos of beef and her namesake can easily bring that mass to bear on a more offensive tonic. As for cocktails – well. Your reviewer is running towards the end of his bottle and frankly doesn’t wish to risk the remainder on experiments, because it works rather splendidly in a G&T.
Middle-Classness Factor: Milk-whey gin from another country named after a record-breaking cow.
Taste Factor: Medium rare.
Middle-Class Meal accompaniment: Not a Biryani.
Middle-Class Collectability: Yes. Buy a bottle.