Tara Oyster Catcher Gin

Fresh oyster shell from Jim Wild's Oysters goes into Tara Oyster Catcher Gin, a limited release born of a collaboration between Tara Distillery and the local oyster producer. Tara adds hand-foragedForagingPlants gathered by hand in the wild (woods, heath, coastline) rather than grown or bought in.Glossary sea kelp from Jervis Bay, rosemary, thyme and lavender grown at the distillery, and macadamia, for a gin of 42% ABV. The name refers to the oystercatcher, the shorebird of the same coast.

Citrus · Limited Edition · Herbal

The first impression is herbal and fresh, with a soft saline note rather than a sharp taste of the sea. KelpKelpA brown seaweed from Atlantic shores, briny and rich in umami.Glossary provides a gentle savoury line, while rosemary and thyme give the aroma a green, kitchen-herb quality. Lavender adds a light floral lift, and macadamia rounds the palate with a silky texture. The oyster shell contributes to the smooth, mineral, savoury backbone that Tara describes. The finish is crisp and gently saline, with the herbs lasting longest.

Tara presents the gin as a natural partner for oysters, its savoury and saline notes echoing the food, and the Jervis Bay ingredients tie it closely to the coast where the oysters grow. Its herbal character also makes it a good aperitif, in 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 that keeps the texture and savoury finish close, or in a long drink 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. It is a limited release.

For a gin and tonic, 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, add 5 cl of gin and 10 cl of chilled Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water, and stir once. Place a small ribbon of sea kelp and a rosemary tip in the glass. The kelp and herbs repeat the gin's botanicals, and the tonic lengthens it while leaving the herbs easy to recognise.