Forty Spotted Rare Tasmanian Gin launched at Odeon Theatre in Hobart, Tasmania. Produced by Lark Distillery in Tasmania, the gin is named after Tasmania’s rarest bird, the Forty-spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus quadragintus).
Forty Spotted Rare Tasmanian Gin is hand-distilled in an 80 litre copper pot still where each botanical is steeped individually in neutral cane spirit with a little of Lark’s own grain spirit.
Traditional botanicals of juniper berry, coriander and lemon peel are used along with the rare Tasmanian pepperberry, also known as Tasmania Aromatica, a fragrant berry which gives the gin its characteristic spice. The full botanical composition of the gin remains a secret, with some 10 botanicals being used.
The reason for steeping each botanical separately is that pepperberries are harvested wild and have a natural variation in pepperiness and oils, Chris Thomson, Head Distiller at Lark Distillery explained. The higher the altitude, the more peppery character, and by doing each distillation separately, the best cut from each one can be obtained to ensure consistency and quality.
The Australian gin is bottled at 40% ABV. The spirit is clear and elegant on the nose with gentle aromas of pepper, spice and citrus along with soft juniper notes. On the palate, it is fresh and vibrant with a harmony of pepper and citrus and an undertone of juniper. The finish is long and warming from the spice character.
The gin lends itself to being sipped neat and performs well in a Martini such as the one used at the launch event using Maidenii Vermouth. In a gin and tonic, Chris Thomson recommends a double shot as the gin has a feminine side that may overpowered by the tonic.
Forty Spotted Rare Tasmanian Gin is available in 700ml at RRP of $69.50.
This article was originally published on April 30, 2015 on our sister website Gourmantic.
