Curiosity Ruby Gin

Fresh rhubarb stalks from Ōtaki, on the Kāpiti Coast north of Wellington, give Curiosity Ruby its vibrant pink colour and fresh rhubarb flavour. The Spirits Workshop in Sydenham, Christchurch, infuses its Curious 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 with the real fruit and bottles Ruby at 37.5% ABV. The distillery describes it as a bright and fruity pink ginPink ginToday, a gin flavoured and tinted pink (red fruit, rhubarb…). Originally, plain gin with a few dashes of Angostura bitters.Glossary that can't be missed in any mixed drink. Curious Dry is the distillery's dry gin, and Ruby its pink sibling.

Citrus · Spicy · Floral · Fruity

Beneath the rhubarb sits the full Curiosity botanical list: juniper, coriander seed, orris rootOrris rootIris rhizome dried for years, then ground. Powdery and violet-like, it mainly works as a fixative that binds and lengthens the other aromas.Glossary, cinnamon sticks, liquorice root, East Coast manuka leaf, lemon, fresh Gisborne orange zest and Otago lavender. The nose is fresh and tart, with the green, fruity scent of rhubarb and a light floral note from the lavender.

On the palate, the rhubarb's sharpness meets the soft citrus of orange zest, while manuka leaf adds a faintly herbal, resinousResinousAn aroma reminiscent of pine or fir resin. It is juniper's signature, due to compounds such as pinene.Glossary touch. Cinnamon and liquorice round the finish. The real fruit gives a natural tartness rather than the sweetness of a flavoured pink gin. The pink colour comes entirely from the rhubarb. Lavender keeps the finish light.

Curiosity suggests it as a pink G&T or in a Gin Fizz, chilled on its own as a Rhubarb 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 in any favourite cocktail for a pink twist. A Clover ClubClover ClubGin, lemon, raspberry syrup and egg white, shaken until it foams.Glossary or a Bramble also suits the tart fruit. A Rhubarb Martini needs nothing more than a lemon twist and a very cold glass. A splash of soda and a lemon wheel make a lighter alternative.

For the G&T, fill a copa with ice and add 4 cl of Curiosity Ruby Gin and 10 cl of Double Dutch Pomegranate Basil Tonic. Stir gently and add a fresh rhubarb ribbon with a lemon wheel. Pomegranate deepens the red fruit, basil adds a green note, and the lemon keeps the tartness bright.