Hunter Distillery Copperwave Gin

Hunter Distillery distils the botanicals of Copperwave Gin in separate flavour groups, then blends them before bottling. The distillery, in Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley, follows a London-style method and says this approach helps it balance the recipe and adjust for seasonal changes in the botanicals. Copperwave is sold in 50 cl bottles at 45% ABV.

Citrus · Spicy · Herbal · Earthy

The botanicals are juniper, coriander, cassiaCassiaThe bark of a Chinese cinnamon tree, coarser and hotter than Ceylon cinnamon. It brings a warm, slightly sweet spice.Glossary, cinnamon, lemon myrtleLemon myrtleThe leaf of an Australian tree with an intense lemon scent, purer than zest and without acidity.Glossary, star anise, cardamom, nutmeg and three citrus peels. Juniper, lemon zest and a liquorice-like note from the star anise come through on the nose.

On the palate, the distillery describes earthy juniper, citrus and Asian spices, with cassia, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg giving warmth and depth. Lemon myrtle adds a fragrant Australian citrus to the peels. Hunter Distillery calls it an aromatic gin, with a long middle palate and a bold but bright finish. Cardamom and nutmeg give the middle palate a warm, rounded spice, and the three citrus peels lift the finish.

Distilling the groups separately lets each set of botanicals be extracted on its own terms before they are brought together, which explains the clear layers of citrus and spice. At 45%, the gin carries those spices well in cocktails such as 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 or a MartinezMartinezThe presumed ancestor of the Martini: gin (often Old Tom), sweet vermouth, maraschino and bitters, stirred over ice and served straight up.Glossary, where cinnamon and star anise meet sweet 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. Tasted neat, the separate layers of citrus and spice are easiest to follow.

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 Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water, and stir gently once. A strip of lemon peel and a small star anise finish the drink. The lemon brightens the citrus peels, and the star anise picks up the spice of the recipe.