Page 59 - S Summer 2024

GLENDALOUGH GIN X S
The valley of Glendalough in County Wicklow, Ireland, is a magical
place. Called “the Garden of Ireland” for its lush landscape
dotted by lakes, streams, and Ireland’s tallest waterfall, it was chosen
by St. Kevin as the site for a monastery in the 6th century. More than
a thousand years later, the valley is home to one of the most important
monastic sites in Ireland and remains every bit as enchanting as it
was in St. Kevin’s time. Glendalough Valley is now also home to a
celebrated craft distillery that uses its abundant indigenous plants to
give Glendalough Wild Botanical Irish Gin its award-winning flavour.
Glendalough Distillery is dedicated to making luxury craft spirits
inspired by the landscape and lore of its home in the Wicklow
mountains. Starting with poitín, the famed traditional Irish moonshine,
Glendalough has since expanded its range to include oak-aged Irish
whiskeys and, most recently, a range of distinctively flavoured Irish
gins. With bright notes of juniper, citrus, and pine, Glendalough Wild
Botanical Irish Gin evokes summer flowers and autumn fruits in every
sip, with a long, warm finish of winter spices. Glendalough Wild Rose
Irish Gin, its rose-hued sibling, offers notes of lemon, blood orange,
juniper, and rose, with a bright, citrusy taste and a long, floral finish.
As deeply rooted in the rich soil of the valley as St. Kevin’s monastery,
these spirits are the result of a unique collaboration between the
distillery’s dedicated craftspeople.
As Ireland’s only full-time distillery forager, Geraldine Kavanagh
roams the valley collecting sorrel, elderflower, fir boughs, and the other
native botanicals that give Glendalough Wild Botanical Irish Gin its
distinct character. “The inspiration for the flavour of our gin comes
from the scents, sights, and tastes of Glendalough, and it’s my job to
put that essence of place into the bottle,” she says. “The ingredients
that we use grow in the wild and we take a lot of care to ensure that we
don’t adversely affect the areas we forage from.”
With Kavanagh’s carefully selected ingredients in hand, Ciarán
“Rowdy” Rooney, Glendalough Distillery’s head distiller, then uses
small-batch slow-distillation to conjure their delicate flavours. As
a result of these efforts, each bottle of Glendalough gin is a loving
tribute to the place that inspired it, both inside and out. In addition
to its verdant flavours, the Glendalough gin label celebrates its origins
with details including a golden silhouette of St. Kevin, along with the
signatures of Kavanagh and Rooney. The bottle itself is also decorated
with subtle tributes to Glendalough’s singular origins, with seven Celtic
crosses (for the seven churches of Glendalough), and the texture of
Kavanagh’s foraging basket embossed on its surface.
Since its launch, Glendalough gin has established itself as one of the
world’s most unique craft gins, winning the Gold award at the World
Gin Masters, among many other accolades. It’s easy to understand why.
Whether enjoyed in a classic gin and tonic, a negroni, or a raspberry
fizz, Glendalough gin captures the magic of its home in each bottle.
Summer’s
Charm
Glendalough Distillery’s Wild Botanical
Irish Gin captures magic in the valley.
By Jeremy Freed
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