FIRST JOURNEYS - 80 GINS AROUND THE WORLD - PIN 70 OF 80
OPIHR GIN, Warrington, UK
(Inspired by ancient Silk Roads)
AROUND THE WORLD, ONE BOTTLE AT A TIME,
PHILEAS FOGG WOULD SURELY APPROVE
Opihr takes its name from a mysterious location mentioned in the Bible, said to have supplied King Solomon with extraordinary quantities of gold, silver and precious goods. Nobody knows exactly where Opihr was. India is one of the more frequently suggested locations, but theories have also placed it in Sri Lanka, Africa and even further afield. The mystery seems rather appropriate for a gin whose whole identity is built around travel, discovery and the ancient Spice Route.
The original OPIHR Spiced London Dry Gin was created around this idea, bringing together botanicals from different points along the historic trading routes. The range has since expanded into regional editions, including the Arabian Edition, which is the bottle I'm using today.
The star of this one is the black lemon — or loomi — although technically it's a dried lime rather than a lemon. These are traditionally used in Iranian and Middle Eastern cooking, particularly in dishes such as stews and soups, where they bring acidity as well as that distinctive earthy, dried-fruit character. The drying process turns the fruit dark and concentrates its flavour, giving it a wonderfully intriguing role in the kitchen.
That connection with food is what I love about these botanicals. They aren't simply unusual ingredients added to make a gin sound exotic; they have a place in the culture and cuisine of the countries along the route.
The Arabian Edition takes OPIHR's juniper-led London Dry base and brings in Persian black lemons and Timut pepper, with the black lime providing the big citrus character. OPIHR describes it as a citrus-and-spice-led gin, with a little sweetness and a soft camphor note alongside the concentrated citrus. It is bottled at 40% ABV according to the current OPIHR product page.
OPIHR was launched in 2012 by Quintessential Brands, the spirits group founded by Enzo Visone and Warren Scott. The gin is produced by G&J Distillers, the historic Cheshire distiller that is part of the group. The company portfolio includes OPIHR alongside Greenall's, BLOOM and other brands.
I really like the way OPIHR has approached the idea of the Spice Route. Rather than simply giving each bottle a different flavour, the regional editions allow the botanicals to tell a story about the places, ingredients and food encountered along those ancient trading routes.
I've gone with a G&T here, adding 25ml Supasawa to 50ml OPIHR Arabian Edition and a premium tonic. The extra citrus lifts the richer spice, while the loomi gets to stay in the background and do what it does best.
"A mysterious kingdom, an ancient spice route and a little black lime magic."
"Show me a bottle
and I'll tell you a story."