It’s Mother’s Day this Sunday and we’ve found just the gin to toast all the Mums out there – Glendalough Rose Gin. Rowdy Rooney, their Head Distiller first made it as a tribute to his Mum (whose name was also Rose!), using fresh flowers from her garden.
They start with wild botanicals, foraged every day from the surrounding mountains by full-time forager and Mum of three Geraldine Kavanagh. Along with these wild mountain plants, they add lots of fresh Rose petals – some wild, and some from Rowdy’s Mum’s Garden. The varieties are important he tells us. “Modern roses are bred to look good, but have lost a lot of their aroma,” he says.
Heritage roses (the classic country garden rose) and Damask Roses (the oldest variety of rose) are the only ones that will do. “With careful management, the garden produces enough roses to be included in every batch. It does limit the amount we make, but that just makes it more special” adds Rowdy.
What results is a deeply aromatic and flavourful gin that really holds its own in a G&T. We had it with a simple Schweppes tonic, a slice of lime and sprig of mint and from the first sip it was one of the nicest G&Ts we’ve ever had. Rowdy says he likes it in a Martini so you can really pick out the different layers of flavour. What makes it so distinct, according to Rowdy is the fresh-distillation using vapours. They hang fresh rose petals in a basket and allow the alcohol vapours to slowly and gently extract the essential oils.
Whatever about oils, this gin is essential for all gin lovers. It’s cool and citrussy, with sylvan notes and a heady layer of flowers over it. “It’s made for Mums” says Rowdy, “so it’s perfect for this Mothers Day”.
Enjoy alcohol responsibly
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