Twenty botanicals went into Flying Emu Gin, the first gin of its own from the Sáppusztai distillery in Hungary, after more than a year of experiments. The name refers to the legendary worldwide spice-hunting journey of an emu, traced as a map on the bottle. Sáppusztai is above all a pálinka distillery, so this gin marks a move into a new spirit for the house.

The distillery names eight of those twenty ingredients: juniper, coriander, pepper, yuzu, tonka bean, pine bud, cassia and rose petal. Yuzu gives a sharp East Asian citrus note, pepper adds movement, tonka lends its soft, vanilla-like sweetness and pine bud deepens the resinous side of juniper together with cassia. Rose petals are kept for the end, where they add a touch of elegance rather than perfume.

The juniper is intense, vibrant and fresh, almost pulsing. Pepper follows, then floral notes and a hint of raspberry, which makes the gin feel crisp and lively. At 42% ABV it keeps its character neat, and the producer notes that it holds its distinctiveness with tonic as well. The IWSC lists it as a Contemporary Gin, a fair description of a recipe where yuzu and tonka share the stage with juniper.

The packaging tells the same story. The turquoise bottle is inspired by the colour of an emu egg, gold details add a note of elegance and the handmade wooden stopper carries an engraved logo. Judges have followed: Flying Emu won Gold and the Hungary Contemporary Winner title in the 2026 World Gin Awards and Platinum at the Dubai International Taste Awards 2026, after being named Best Gin with a Gold medal at the National Spirits Excellence Program in 2025. A Mediterranean tonic keeps the yuzu clear, with a strip of yuzu peel and a rose petal to repeat the two ends of the recipe.