Hurdle Creek Still Aniseed Gin

Hurdle Creek Still sold this gin as Evolution before renaming it after its defining flavour. The Milawa distillery, in north-east Victoria, vapour-infusesVapour infusionBotanicals sit in a basket above the liquid, so only the alcohol vapour passes through them, for a lighter, fresher extraction.Glossary a barley spirit with eleven botanicals: juniper, coriander, angelica and cassia bark for the gin base, then aniseed, star anise, fennel, liquorice root and aniseed myrtle, plus fresh ginger and cinnamon myrtle. It is bottled at 42% ABV.

Spicy · Herbal

Anise leads, but five different sources give it more depth than a single spice could. Star anise and fennel bring a sweet, herbal scent, aniseed myrtle adds a fresh, leafy version of the same note, and liquorice root gives the palate a soft roundness. JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary keeps a resinousResinousAn aroma reminiscent of pine or fir resin. It is juniper's signature, due to compounds such as pinene.Glossary edge underneath, and coriander and angelica broaden the middle. Ginger and cinnamon myrtle warm the finish without turning it sweet. Vapour infusionInfusionFruit or plants are steeped in the spirit to release their flavour. Done after distillation, infusion often adds colour too, and the gin can no longer be called London Dry.Glossary keeps these flavours bright and separate; a splash of water makes them easier to tell apart. Aniseed myrtle, a rainforest tree from northern New South Wales, gives a fresher anise than the dried seed.

Hurdle Creek's suggestions are generous: a G&T with orange and sage and a fruity tonic, a Milawa Mule with ginger beer and lime, a NegroniNegroniAn Italian cocktail of equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and red bitter (Campari), served over ice with orange peel. Born in Florence in 1919.Glossary, a Perfect 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, or a Jaffa Martini with dark cacao liqueur and orange liqueur. Orange is the common thread, as it softens the anise and brings out the warm spice. In a Negroni, the anise adds a herbal note that works well with the bitter aperitif.

For the orange G&T, pour 4 cl over clear ice in a balloon glass, add 10 cl of chilled Fentimans Valencian Orange Tonic Water and stir gently once. Garnish with orange peel and a star anise pod, and place the same garnishes on a small plate beside the glass. The orange tonic rounds the spice, and the star anise mirrors the gin's main flavour without adding to it.