Belgium Gin Nr 10 Red Edition

Wormwood, mistletoe, devil's claw and cinchona sound more like an old herbalist's shelf than a gin recipe. Taxandria Kempen Distillery puts all four into Belgium Gin Nr 10 Red Edition, a Belgian gin at 38% that draws on the identity and symbolism of the national football team, and uses them to give the gin a herbal, bitter backbone few others attempt.

Citrus · Spicy · Herbal

The classical structure comes from juniper, with bergamotBergamotA bitter Calabrian citrus, the one that scents Earl Grey tea: floral and zesty.Glossary, cardamom and hyssop around it. Bergamot supplies a floral citrus brightness, cardamom a fresh spice, and hyssop an aromatic, slightly medicinal herb. Then the bittering plants take over. WormwoodWormwoodA bitter, aromatic plant, the one behind absinthe and vermouth (Wermut in German).Glossary brings its characteristic bitterness, cinchona, the bark quinineQuinineAn alkaloid from cinchona bark that gives tonic its bitterness. The British in India drank it against malaria and added gin: the gin and tonic was born.Glossary comes from, adds a second bitter layer, and mistletoe and devil's claw contribute earthy and slightly woody nuances. Allspice rounds the spice with a warm note that recalls clove and cinnamon at once.

On the nose, bergamot's citrus leads, supported by herbal intensity and a resinousResinousAn aroma reminiscent of pine or fir resin. It is juniper's signature, due to compounds such as pinene.Glossary juniper core, with wormwood and hyssop adding depth and allspice a soft undertone.

On the palate, citrus freshness meets a structured herbal backbone. The bitterness of wormwood and cinchona builds progressively, balanced by the warmer cardamom and allspice, while mistletoe and devil's claw deepen the earthy side. The texture stays light and the finish moderately dry, marked by lingering herbal and bitter notes.

Schweppes Premium Mixer Ginger & Cardamom Tonic continues the spice already in the recipe, its cardamom meeting the gin's own. A thin slice of fresh orange and a few juniper berries complete the drink, the orange softening the bitterness and the juniper a reminder that, under all the herbs, this remains a gin. The gin can also be served neat, where its herbal complexity shows most clearly.