Gin is often associated with summer and freshness. Yet some distilleries choose the opposite approach:
imagining a gin capable of evoking winter, festive moments, and comforting spices.
This is precisely the ambition behind the
Cin’kin Winter Gin
,
an edition designed for the cold season, far from classic gin profiles.
A gin designed for winter
At the origin of this creation lies a simple yet uncommon idea in the gin world:
to translate the sensations of winter drinks into a spirit usually associated with summer.
As the distillery explains:
“I wanted to create a gin with Christmas spices, meaning what we usually find in mulled wine,
with the presence of anise and cinnamon. Gin is generally enjoyed in summer,
so we wanted the Winter edition to bring back warming flavours.”
Here, citrus notes deliberately take a step back.
Anise and spices take over, building a warmer, more enveloping profile,
clearly rooted in winter.
Why cinnamon is delicate in a gin
Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde, an aromatic compound that is extremely dominant,
highly persistent, and only slightly volatile. In distillation, balance is particularly fragile:
- too little → the cinnamon disappears behind juniper
- too much → it overwhelms the entire aromatic profile
Unlike citrus, cinnamon does not “round off” easily.
When poorly dosed, it can bring a dry, hot, almost aggressive sensation,
throwing the whole profile out of balance.
A creation born from compromise
This delicate balance was not achieved by chance.
Cinnamon, at the heart of the Cin’kin Winter Gin’s identity,
was the subject of real discussion within the distillery itself.
The founder explains candidly:
“I love cinnamon, but Cédric is less fond of it.
However, I felt that to bring this winter and warming character,
it still needed to be present.
I think we managed to find a good balance.”
This consciously embraced compromise results in a bold winter gin,
without falling into excessive spicing.
An edition linked to the Fééries du Parc
Cin’kin Winter Gin is also an edition closely tied to a local and emblematic event:
the Fééries du Parc in Ciney.
As the distillery explains, the packaging was designed in harmony with this universe:
“We wanted to dedicate this edition to the Fééries du Parc.
That’s why the Saint Roch castle appears on the label,
using the Fééries’ colours, blue and white.”
The label thus evokes winter, enchantment, and the distillery’s strong local roots.
International recognition
An audacious creation, Cin’kin Winter Gin quickly found its audience,
including at an international level.
It won a gold medal and the title of
Country Winner at the World Gin Awards in 2022 and 2024,
allowing it to compete at the World Best level.
As the distillery sums it up:
“I think it’s a bold creation, but one that people enjoy.”
About the Cin’kin distillery
The Cin’kin distillery explores expressive aromatic profiles,
with an approach rooted in experimentation, precision, and the search for balance.
👉 Official Cin’kin distillery website
Non-sponsored article.
The quoted statements come from a direct exchange with the distillery.
