Mataroa Mediterranean Dry Gin

Mataroa Mediterranean Dry GinDry ginGin with no perceptible sweetness: in the European Union, the word "dry" allows at most 0.1 g of sugar per litre.GlossarySee Dry gin gins is a Greek dry gin inspired by the Mediterranean as a route of ingredients, histories and aromas. The name refers to the ship Mataroa, remembered for two important journeys after the Second World War, including the 1945 voyage that carried Greek students and intellectuals toward France. In 2019, that image of passage and cultural movement became the inspiration for a gin built from twelve botanicals gathered around the Mediterranean coast.

Citrus · Spicy · Floral · Herbal · Earthy

The recipe is deliberately geographic. Juniper berriesJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary from Croatia form the gin's spine, while coriander seeds from Tunisia and angelica rootAngelicaThe 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 from France give spice, citrusy lift and earthy structure. Lavender and chamomile add floral softness, orris root brings a powdery floral depth, and bay leaf introduces a sharper herbal line. Orange, lemon and mandarin peels give the gin its Mediterranean citrus brightness, while Turkish licorice adds natural depth and Chios mastiha resin provides a distinctive Greek signature with resinousResinousAn aroma reminiscent of pine or fir resin. It is juniper's signature, due to compounds such as pinene.Glossary, balsamic and lightly smoky nuances.

On the nose, Mataroa opens with citrus peel and juniper, then gradually reveals lavender, chamomile, bay leaf and mastiha.

The palate is dry, aromatic and layered. Orange and lemon bring brightness, mandarin gives a softer sweetness, coriander and juniper add spice, while angelica, orris and mastiha keep the structure firm and slightly earthy. The finish is clean and persistent, with citrus oils, dry herbs and a resinous Mediterranean echo.

At 41.5% alcohol, Mataroa has the balance expected from a dry gin but its personality is more expansive than a strictly classic profile. It works in a gin and tonic with a Mediterranean tonicMediterranean tonicA tonic with less bitterness and sugar, scented with herbs and citrus (rosemary, thyme, lemon). It leaves more room for the gin's botanicals.Glossary, rosemary and a citrus peel garnish, where the serve reinforces its herbal and citrus dimensions. It also has enough botanical complexity for cocktails such as a NegroniNegroniAn Italian cocktail of equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and red bitter (Campari), served over ice with orange peel. Born in Florence in 1919.Glossary, a MartiniDry MartiniGin and a little dry vermouth, stirred over ice and served in a well-chilled stemmed glass, with an olive or a twist.Glossary or a BrambleBrambleA cocktail created in London in the 1980s: gin, lemon and sugar over crushed ice, drizzled with blackberry liqueur.Glossary, especially when the recipe benefits from a gin that carries flowers, citrus and dry herbal depth in the same glass.