THE GIN PASSPORT ATLAS - DISTILLERY STORY- PINNED ON THE MAP - ASIA
SAIGON BAIGUR GIN, Vietnam
A taste of Vietnam, from Saigon to the Mekong Delta
Saigon Baigur is one of those gins where you can almost taste the journey that inspired it.
The idea came from the founders' motorcycle trips around Vietnam, travelling from the northern highlands to the Mekong Delta and discovering the extraordinary variety of fruits, spices and botanicals along the way. They wanted to create a gin that didn't simply happen to be made in Vietnam, but actually tasted like Vietnam.
The name Baigur takes us back more than 1,000 years. Baigaur is believed to have been an early settlement in the area that is now Saigon, associated with a small trading post where fish, spices and other goods changed hands. The name therefore seemed rather perfect for a gin built around Vietnam's long tradition of botanical and spice trading.
Then there is the dragon.
The bottle is inspired by a dragon's egg and scales, while the dragon itself represents power and prosperity in Vietnamese culture. It also has an important connection to agriculture: dragons are associated with rain, which is rather handy when your gin is celebrating the fruits, flowers and spices grown across Vietnam.
The gin is distilled at District 9 Distilling Company, which opened in 2020 and became the first premium dry gin distillery in Ho Chi Minh City. The distillery uses traditional European copper pot stills, with the production taking place right in the city.
I rather like the idea of a gin that takes you on a road trip before you've even opened the bottle.
There are 16 botanicals altogether, made up of 12 distinctive Vietnamese botanicals alongside four classic gin ingredients.
Among them are fresh Buddha's Hand from Hanoi, lotus flower from the Mekong Delta, Saigon cinnamon, black cardamom, Phu Quoc pepper, dragon fruit, star anise, lemongrass, bird's-eye chilli and lime peel, alongside juniper, coriander, angelica and liquorice.
The Buddha's Hand is particularly interesting. This unusual citrus fruit has long, finger-like sections rather than the familiar juicy flesh of an orange or lemon, and gives the gin a beautifully fragrant citrus character.
Lotus flower is vapour infused rather than simply thrown into the still, helping to preserve its delicate floral character. Add the warming cinnamon and cardamom, pepper, lemongrass and citrus and you have a gin that is distinctly Vietnamese without losing its classic gin foundations.
The result is fresh, vibrant and aromatic, with citrus and floral notes followed by warming spice and a gentle peppery finish. It is an adventurous gin, but one that still knows where its juniper belongs.
For my serve, I wanted to celebrate Tết, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. One of the traditions associated with Tết is the mâm ngũ quả, or five-fruit tray, with different fruits representing wishes such as prosperity, good fortune and happiness. The exact fruits vary by region and tradition, but the display is an important part of the celebrations.
So, with happiness and good fortune in mind, I made a Tangerine & Ginger Gimlet.
"Happiness and Good Fortune"
HAPPINESS & GOOD FORTUNE GIMLET
50ml Saigon Baigur Premium Dry Gin
25ml fresh tangerine juice
20ml ginger syrup
40ml fresh lime juice
A little freshly grated ginger
Shake everything vigorously with ice and strain into a chilled glass.
If you prefer something softer and silkier, add an egg white or foamer and turn it into a gin sour.
A little bit of Vietnam in a glass, with hopefully some good fortune thrown in for good measure.