An Dúlamán Santa Ana Armada Strength Gin

La Duquesa Santa Ana ran aground near Loughros Mor in 1588, and her crew walked overland to the harbour at Killybegs. Sliabh Liag Distillers named this bottling after her and finished it in Spanish Rioja casks from the region their commander came from, which turns a piece of Donegal shipwreck history into an actual production decision rather than a label.

Citrus · Woody · Limited Edition · Spicy · Fruity

Underneath, the recipe is the maritime one. JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary, coriander seed, angelicaAngelicaThe root of a tall umbellifer, earthy and musky. After juniper and coriander it is the most common botanical: it binds the aromas and holds the finish.Glossary, cassia barkCassiaThe bark of a Chinese cinnamon tree, coarser and hotter than Ceylon cinnamon. It brings a warm, slightly sweet spice.Glossary, lemon peel and orange peel hold the classic frame, and five seaweeds hand-cut on the Donegal shore supply the rest: channel wrack and carrageen moss, dulse and pepper dulse, and sugar kelp, contributing between them salinity, umami and a gentle bitterness. The Rioja casks then add what the sea cannot. The colour turns pale rose gold, and a red-fruit sweetness settles over the coastal base without displacing it.

At 57% this is Ireland's first navy strengthNavy StrengthGin bottled at 57% ABV or more. Royal Navy lore holds that at this strength, gunpowder soaked in gin would still ignite.GlossarySee Navy Strength gins gin, and what surprises is how softly it drinks. The nose is fruit and sweet oak above a maritime floor, with floral hints, light spice, liquorice, and an impression of red berries and grape skins carried on bright juniper and sea air.

The palate brings salty coastal notes and savoury brine against peppery juniper, warming spice and a discreet anise; the cask supplies a slight orange madeira sweetness, candied citrus peel and dark berry. The finish is long and warming, orange and sweet oak trailing off into dryness.

Silver for Best Navy Gin at the 2020 World Gin Awards. Drink it neat or over ice, where the cask and the coast argue with each other most clearly. The squat dark bottle follows Armada glass, sealed with wax, with batch numbers keyed to lunar phase, as on every bottle in the range.