THE GIN PASSPORT ATLAS - DISTILLERY STORY- PINNED ON THE MAP - EUROPE
AGNES ARBER GIN, England, UK
A pioneering botanist with a rather delicious botanical legacy
I love a bit of research because it nearly always uncovers an interesting titbit about a gin. In this case, I was even more surprised to discover a connection with South Africa, where I was born.
The connection comes through Nic Ponticakis, Brand Manager at LWC Drinks, who helped develop Agnes Arber Gin and is originally from South Africa.
When Nic joined LWC, he discovered that the company was looking to launch a new gin brand. With his own background in distilling, he became involved in the project and met Sion Edwards, formerly of Warner Edwards, who was then working with Langley Distillery.
Nic took along a sample of his own South African gin and the pair began experimenting with the balance of flavours. The result was the first incarnation of Agnes Arber Gin, launched in 2017.
The name was chosen through an LWC company-wide competition and pays tribute to Agnes Arber, one of Britain's pioneering botanists.
Born in London in 1879, Arber developed an interest in plants from an early age and went on to become a leading authority on plant morphology and anatomy. Much of her work focused on monocotyledons — flowering plants including grasses, lilies and orchids — and she published important works including Monocotyledons and The Gramineae.
Her achievements were particularly remarkable at a time when women faced considerable barriers in scientific careers. In 1946 she became the first female botanist and third woman overall to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. Two years later, she became the first woman to receive the Linnean Society's Gold Medal.
She even continued much of her research from a small private laboratory in her own Cambridge home after institutional opportunities were limited. Not exactly someone who was going to let a lack of laboratory space get in the way!
The Agnes Arber bottle is a rather clever nod to its namesake. Its tall, book-like shape reflects Arber's many published works, while the botanical artwork draws on the plants and illustrations associated with her research.
You may recognise some of the flowers and plants depicted, particularly those belonging to the monocotyledons she studied.
The original gin is built around nine botanicals: juniper, coriander, angelica, cassia, lemon, grapefruit, orange, liquorice and orris root. The result is a classic gin with savoury, earthy juniper, warm spice and plenty of citrus, with the orris and liquorice adding depth and texture.
I was particularly curious to try the Pineapple Edition, as I'd seen some fantastic reviews and wondered whether the tropical fruit might make it overly sweet.
Thankfully, it doesn't.
The original gin is infused after distillation with pineapple and a subtle touch of mango, keeping the spirit at its full 41.6% ABV. The fruit is definitely there — fresh, tropical and juicy — but the underlying gin still has enough juniper and citrus character to stop it becoming a sweet fruit liqueur.
I really enjoyed it simply with tonic, which is probably the biggest compliment I can give a flavoured gin. There was no need to complicate things.
A botanical gin named after a pioneering botanist, decorated with botanical illustrations and finished with a little tropical fruit.
Agnes Arber would probably have approved of the research.
I'm certainly enjoying the results.
"The woman behind the brand"
Show me a bottle and
I'll tell you a story.