Gin G'Vine Nouaison

The recipe for gin is relatively simple. You take a neutral spirit and infuse it with the botanicals of your choice before distilling it to perfection. Within that recipe, though, there is so much space for innovation. This is exactly where G'Vine steps in. Most gins use a base spirit crafted from neutral grain. G'Vine, a French brand of gin that was invented by the same man as Cîroc Vodka, takes a grape-based approach instead.

This super-premium gin sets itself apart for both its base and botanicals. G'Vine Nouaison comes in at the higher ABV end of the range of gins offered by the company. Fresh botanicals are added to a neutral grape brandy made using French Ugni blanc grapes from the Cognac region. These botanicals include juniper, cassia bark, coriander, cubeb berries, ginger root, green cardamom, lime, liquorice, and nutmeg.

The name "nouaison" is a French term for the blossoming of the vine flowers. This gives a hint as to the secret ingredient in this gin: the tiny green berries that will someday become full-grown grapes. The final taste is closer to a classic London Dry gin than the other products in the G'Vine line, but with a beautiful floral side. This gin weighs in at 43.9% alcohol per volume, offering a nice alcohol heat without being overwhelming.