It’s about that time of year. The time when all your friends seem to be flying all over the world while you’re stuck at home, freezing cold in Australia’s winter just doom scrolling through images of the Trevi Fountain, some vast ski resorts in New Zealand or the Eiffel Tower.
Now, I’m not going to say that the answer is to drink… but this gin from Citadelle aims to bring the best parts of French gin to Australian shores in a beautiful blue glass bottle. The latest release, the Citadelle Jardin d’Été, is inspired by the Château de Bonbonnet, a little nature preserve where flowers, fruit and herbs flourish.
The gin is certainly floral and has a very citrusy punch with accents of Charentais melon, whole lemons and yuzu and orange zest. Designed to be drunk in a gin and tonic, this bottle does wonders when poured over ice.
When I brought the bottle to a party, my friends (not the biggest gin guys) were surprised at how easy it was to drink. The refreshing citrus taste blends perfectly with the strong gin flavour and it’s a winner in my books.
But don’t just take my word for it, Citadelle Jardin d’Été has already won a double gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2021 and a gold medal at the International Spirits Challenge 2021.
In terms of bottle design, I’ve mentioned how I love the Citadelle design in past reviews, but the rippled blue glass looks great and it’s a welcome addition to the spirits cupboard. Now I just need to figure out how to do that TikTok trick where you cleanly snap it in half before turning it into a glass…
