LODDA Le Gin de Veules-les-Roses

Rose and oyster leaf, two botanicals set against each other, define LODDA Le Gin de Veules-les-Roses. The gin is hand-distilled and bottled in Veules-les-Roses, on the Normandy coast, and draws on the village's flower gardens and its seaside: the rose for the gardens, the oyster leaf for the shore. It is bottled at 44% ABV in 50 cl bottles.

Floral · Herbal

Rose gives the gin its clear floral signature, and oyster leaf, a coastal plant whose leaves taste strikingly of oysters, brings a savoury, marine impression. The saline character comes from the plant, not from added salt. Juniper anchors the spirit beneath them, so the fragrant petals and the briny leaf meet on a 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 base. The pairing is unusual but direct: floral on the nose, then savoury and marine as the palate develops. The rose is fresh and perfumed rather than sweet, and the oyster leaf gives the finish a mineral, iodine-like length.

The setting is part of the gin's identity. The founder distils by hand beside the Veules, a short river that runs through the village to the sea, and LODDA connects its name to the Old Norse words for river and woman. LODDA recommends tasting the gin neat, over ice or with a well-balanced tonic, naming Fever-Tree, London Essence and Double Dutch among suitable brands, and advises a ratio of 5 parts gin to 10 parts tonic. It is also an obvious match for seafood and oysters.

For a long drink, fill a balloon glassCopa glassA large stemmed balloon glass, popularised by the Spanish gin and tonic: it stays cold for longer and gathers the aromas above the drink.Glossary with clear iceClear iceIce without air bubbles, made by slow, directional freezing. Denser, it melts more slowly and dilutes less.Glossary, pour in 5 cl of gin and add 10 cl of Fever-Tree Indian Tonic WaterIndian tonicThe classic tonic: sparkling water, bitter quinine and sugar. The name recalls colonial India, where quinine warded off malaria.Glossary, following that ratio, then stir gently once. Place a rose petal and a fresh oyster leaf in the glass. The tonic should support the floral and saline notes rather than cover them, so keep the glass simple, with no salt or extra garnish.