Tasting: 2 New Barrel-Aged Gins from The Botanist (Cask Matured)

In the spirits world, barrel-aged gin is still about as niche as it comes, but it’s a niche that has an unusual ability to generate polarized opinions. This is a stance I’ve come to believe in the last few years in particular, as I’ve observed the reactions of drinkers, critics and industry people to various barrel-aged gin brands–it always seems to elicit a strong reaction, but it’s equally split among positive and negative. People who love barrel-aged gins admire the way it can transform classic cocktails into new versions of themselves, or round the edges off a classic gin profile. And perhaps unsurprisingly, people who hate barrel-aged gin tend to see it as a deliberate adulteration of what gin is supposed to be all about in the first place. And so, it’s intriguing to see a major gin brand like The Botanist stride into this debate with not one but two new aged gin expressions.

Personally, I’m firmly in the barrel-aged gin camp. Is it something I’m going to turn to more often than classic gins? Of course not, but I love how these play as an occasional flourish in classic gin cocktails in particular. Ever try a negroni or Last Word with barrel-aged gin? Get on that right away, if you haven’t.

The Botanist, meanwhile, is a modern classic brand in the gin world, produced by the Bruichladdich Distillery in Islay, Scotland, under the ownership of Rémy Cointreau. Its status as a Scottish gin from the isle of peat-laden scotch whiskies always set it apart, and one would immediately have to wonder if a barrel-aged gin from this company would mean a big ‘ole dose of smoke as a result. That, however, doesn’t seem to be the case. The company doesn’t really note which casks they’re using for this, but it seems to be a wide array–they note having “access to over 200 incredible cask types,” and the two expressions say they’re matured in “a blend of more than 15 American and European oak casks.” The implication is likely that many styles are coming together here to make a more subtle melange. They join The Botanist’s existing 22 “wild, hang-foraged Islay botanicals” that make up the core of its flavor profile.

Notably, both of these expressions are bottled at a nicely elevated 46% ABV (92 proof), which is always nice to see for cocktailing purposes. So with that said, let’s get to tasting these.

The Botanist Islay Cask Rested Gin

MSRP: $50

The word “rested” has pretty much become industry shorthand at this point for any spirit that has been lightly aged for less than a year, likely borrowed from the popular understanding of reposado tequila. As for this gin, it is matured for “6+ months in a blend of more than 15 American and European oak casks,” which is a long enough time to get some color but should be fairly subtle in terms of imparting flavor.

On the nose, there’s a nice soft juniper background present, supported by lots of pink peppercorn and distinct lemon zestiness. It’s quite bright overall, lightly accented by oak and barrel influences. On the palate, this turns rather spicy, with coriander-like notes but also a warmness suggesting light butterscotch and a little honeycomb. It’s not the most complex barrel-aged gin I’ve tasted, but the moderate residual sweetness works well for the style and I imagine this would be quite pleasant with tonic, though a tad sweeter than gin you may be used to in that application. All in all, though, this one hasn’t been too deeply transformed by its time inside the casks.

The Botanist Islay Cask Aged Gin

MSRP: $80

The similarly named “Cask Aged” expression here has received a much more thorough aging, “matured for 3+ years in a blend of more than 8 American and European oak casks,” so we can likely expect it to display quite a bit more barrel-derived character.

On the nose, the first thing that stands out here is the increased earthiness, spice and of course modest woodiness that can now be accessed. It’s peppery, but also a bit more exotic, with some of the fresh earthiness of cardamom, but also some perfumey floral tones. There’s orange slices as well, but the overall aromatic profile isn’t as bright. On the palate I’m getting lots of candied orange and some toffee, with pepper and spicy oak, and traces of vanilla. This has been significantly more dramatically transformed in terms of how the spirit reads, with just traces of juniper providing subtle resin and bitterness. The result is a sipping friendly spirit, combining elements of amari and herbal liqueurs with brown spirits. A subtle mixed spice and peppery finish make for a pleasant neat drinker.

Neither of these are exactly cheap in terms of average prices on the gin shelf, but I can’t help but feel like the 3 year+ Cask Aged Gin might actually represent a better value for those who really want to see how the spirit is affected by its time in the cask. Whereas the Cask Rested demonstrates a more subtle touch, this one will be a novel experience for those gin drinkers who haven’t seen just how much this spirit can be transformed via barrel aging. It feels perfect for hunting down the spiritual halfway point between a negroni and boulevardier.

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.