Unholy Water Gin

Five botanicals give Unholy Water its dry Australian character: juniper, finger lime, lemon myrtle, mandarin and pepperberry. Ester Spirits distils the 43% gin in Marrickville for Unholy Playhouse on Kent Street; the release comprises 500 bottles. The compact recipe brings a dry, juniper-ledJuniper-forwardA classic profile where juniper clearly dominates, with resinous, piney notes.Glossary foundation into contact with bright local citrus and a warm peppery accent.

Citrus · Dry · Limited Edition · Spicy

The nose opens with citrus. Finger limeFinger limeAn Australian citrus whose pulp forms tiny tart pearls that burst in the mouth.Glossary contributes a tart, lime-like edge, while lemon myrtleLemon myrtleThe leaf of an Australian tree with an intense lemon scent, purer than zest and without acidity.Glossary adds a fragrant, leafy lemon quality. Mandarin rounds the brighter notes with softer fruit, and pepperberryTasmanian pepperberryA wild Australian berry: fruity at first, then a slowly building heat. It can tint the gin pink.Glossary brings warmth rather than sweetness. Juniper remains clear beneath the citrus and keeps the aroma recognisably that of gin. The five botanicals make for a direct, well-defined profile.

On the palate, citrus arrives first, then juniper and a measured peppery warmth. Mandarin softens the transition without making the gin taste sugary, while lemon myrtle carries a fresh herbal note into the finish. At 43%, Unholy Water has the presence for a dry 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, a serve highlighted by its maker. A chilled glass and a restrained measure of vermouthVermouthAn aromatised, fortified wine flavoured with herbs and barks; its name comes from the German Wermut, wormwood. Dry vermouth goes into a Martini, sweet red into a Negroni.Glossary keep the citrus and juniper in focus; slight dilutionDilutionThe water added by melting ice. In the right amount it opens the aromas and softens the alcohol; too much flattens the drink.Glossary can open the pepperberry.

For a Martini, chill a mixing glass and a small cocktail glass, stir 6 cl Unholy Water with 1 cl dry vermouth over ice until thoroughly chilled, then strain into the glass. Finish with a fine lemon twistTwistA strip of peel twisted over the glass to release its oils, then dropped into the drink.Glossary and one green olive. The lemon lifts the finger lime and lemon myrtle, while the olive gives a savoury counterpoint to the peppery finish. The gin also suits a simple gin and tonic with a Mediterranean tonic, where its citrus signature stays clear and the juniper remains identifiable.