You know there will always be a place of choice for other spirits on The Whisky Lady, especially when this spirit is none other than a fantastic Scottish gin ! Well… Scottish? Not exactly though. 

Daffy’s Small Batch Premium Gin is made with grain spirit from northern France, which is then distilled using a copper pot still. The Scottish distillers use a selection of eight botanicals for Daffy’s Gin, including juniper, Lebanese mint, coriander, angelica root, Spanish lemon and orange peels, cassia bark and orris root. It has been bottled at a very specific 43.4% ABV, as the distillers believe this to be the perfect strength for their expression (scroll down to know more…).

“The Edinburgh based founding duo [Chris Molyneaux & his wife Mignonne Khazaka] began work on Daffy’s Gin in 2012, aiming to create a spirit discernible from others – one that could be recognised in much the same way as whiskies are. The process involved sipping variations a day (tough life but someone has to do we suppose…), building up a portfolio of tasting notes with potential tweaks for each until, three years later, there was a stack of 400.

Chris knew that he was interested in alcohol production from a very early age. At 17, the ambitious young man wanted his own drinks company so, from his home in Northern Ireland, he wrote off to 200 French vineyards to ask if any would allow him on an as apprentice. Much to his surprise, Peter Sichel of Chateau Palmer said yes, bringing him on for grunt work and allowing him to make his way up the chain, from tending to vines, to producing, blending and tasting the wines.

An interest in distilling brandy and grappa saw Chris take a trip to Scotland to visit distilleries. Whilst there, he met and fell in love with Mignonne, which made a permanent move to Edinburgh necessary. Understanding that a knowledge of how businesses work was pertinent to actually running one, Chris began studying for a business degree at The University of Edinburgh, eventually qualifying as a Chartered Accountant.

He eventually went on to work across the world, learning about the distillation processes behind gin, rum, whisky, brandy and various Asian spirits. The gin eureka moment came when he realised that there wasn’t a London Dry Gin on the market that, in his opinion, was so well made and well balanced that it could be enjoyed neat on ice. This perceived gap in the market was enough to plant the seed in Chris’ mind and four years later Daffy’s Gin was set for launch.” (read more on Gin Foundry)

The bottle design is the work of Robert McGinnis, the American artist who made film posters for various James Bond and Matt Helm films as well as Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Barbarella!

“Taking inspiration from his 17-year-old self, Chris once more took on that if you don’t ask, you don’t get philosophy and got in touch with McGinnis, asking him to collaborate on designing the logo. He agreed, requesting that Mignonne fly to New York so that he could base the illustration on her.”

Who’s Daffy?

Daffy is the Goddess of Gin. First written about in the 1700s, Daffy is the essence of great gin, a lover of life who has transcended the decades. Daffy as painted by Robert McGinnis is the visualisation and personification of the taste, charm, sophistication, complexity and depth of the gin.

Why 43.4% ABV?

Well you may ask… Many gins bottle at 37.5%, many at 40% and many much stronger. For Daffy’s gin, 43.4% is the perfect balance of strength and flavour. Any stronger and the spirit becomes punchier, a little more closed and with a burn that breaks the concentration. Any weaker and the balance and complexity becomes too diluted and the heart of the gin becomes less strong.

At 43.4% Daffy’s complexity is said to be perfectly balanced. Strong bodied with many levels of well balanced freshness, notes of citrus and mint, toffee, caramel and chocolate underpinned with a solid woody character “like that of malt whisky“.

Who to enjoy Daffy’s Gin?

I would of course recommend to first try it neat and enjoy the spirit as itself, in its purest version. Daffy’s Gin has been crafted with a whisky-making approach, making it perfectly fine to enjoy on its own. Pour yourself a reasonable measure and let those refreshing minty hints cover your palate while the juicy orange notes and spices start kicking in.

On hot days, I also particularly enjoy putting the bottle in the freezer for a while and then serve a very-chilled glass (pardon me but it’s already 30 degrees around here 😉 ). I know it’s not a recommendation I should make as a spirit enthusiast, but let’s not care about the rules #LetsGetWild – but the refreshing profile of the gin is even more pleasant this way!

If you can’t picture a gin without tonic, Daffy’s can also make a great G&T – you don’t need me to explain how to make those do you? Yeah… No, that’s what I thought… You drunkhead.

Last but not least, let’s liberate the mixologist in you and craft some delicious gin cocktails! From a classic Daffy’s Martini to a more exotic Daffy’s Passion or Daffy’s Dancing, you’ll find all the cocktail inspiration you need on the official website!

To win a bottle of this delicious Daffy’s Gin, check the pinned posts on Twitter and follow the instructions!

This giveaway is running until 06/06/2017 and is strictly limited to 18+ years old entrants – Results will be announced on social media.

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Cover Pic: ilgin.it