Peddlers Gin Company has released the Rare Shanghai Gin, the first craft gin to come out of China. The award-winning bottle is a unique blend of botanicals including Sichuan pepper, lotus flower and Chinese mint.
On top of those dominant botanicals, the Shanghai Gin boasts notes of coriander seeds, hailing from Northern India, liquorice from the Guangdong province and Angelica from North Eastern China.
For me, the liquorice is the most dominant flavour, which is lucky for me, because I love the stuff. I love Australian gins and all the native botanicals they have, but this Chinese bottle is a welcome change of pace to the craft gin market.
Peddlers Gin Company recommend it be enjoyed like a traditional gin, on its own, in a martini, a G&T or in a Negroni. With its complex flavours, you don’t need to create an extravagant cocktail here, you just need to appreciate the complexities of the spirit.
While I haven’t tried it in a martini (in need of some new dry vermouth), the gin shines through with the other drinks and is a must-try.
As the company describes: “Born on the back streets of Shanghai, the hustle and bustle charm of the world’s biggest trading port was the perfect inspiration from a more adventurous gin.
“Awarded the DMBA China Bartender Brand of the Year, Peddlers offers a distinctive yet perfectly balanced recipe, made with ingredients from the West and the Far East.”
For those wanting a change of pace this weekend (or in this lockdown if in the situation), find yourself the closest bottle of Rare Shanghai Gin.
