Eugin Foresta concentrates the smell of woodland materials into a 57.6% London Dry. Eugin Distilleria Indipendente classifies it as Navy Strength and uses a deliberately compact set of botanicals: juniper, raw hazelnuts, fir seeds, oak bark and birch buds. The recipe does not imitate a sweet nut liqueur or a barrel-aged spirit. Instead, it builds a dry, high-proof gin from resin, bark, fresh buds and the softer oiliness of hazelnut.

Juniper and fir provide the first aromatic line, direct and coniferous. Birch buds introduce a greener, more tender note, while oak bark gives dryness and woody grip without an ageing stage. Raw hazelnuts broaden the texture and bring a gentle flavour reminiscent of fresh nuts and pine kernels. At full strength these elements are tightly packed: resin is vivid, the wood feels firm, and the nuttier register appears gradually as the initial alcoholic energy settles.

A small taste neat shows the architecture, but controlled dilution reveals more detail. Water opens the hazelnut and bud notes while reducing the sharper edge of the bark. The finish remains long, vegetal and resinous, with no need for fruit or decorative sweetness. This unusual balance explains the name Foresta plainly: it is not a vague reference to nature, but a direct reading of the published ingredients and the sensations they create together.

For the GinToLove presentation, pour 4 cl over abundant clear ice, add 10 cl of Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water and stir once. Place a very small fir tip in the glass, with raw hazelnuts and another fir sprig displayed on a tray beside it. This restrained addition echoes the resinous profile without overwhelming the woody and nutty details.