Broken Heart Barrel Aged Gin

Up to a year in French oak barrels that once held Chardonnay gives this Broken Heart gin its mellow, toasty depth. The Queenstown distillery describes it as a sipping spirit, often enjoyed by whisky drinkers who have turned to gin, and bottles it at 40% ABV in 500 ml bottles. Broken Heart makes all its gins with glacial water from Queenstown, and its Original Gin uses eleven botanicals. The colour turns pale gold in the wood.

Citrus · Woody

Broken Heart lists its profile as buttery, citrus, sweet, toasty, warm and mellow. The Chardonnay wood brings a soft, buttery richness and a light vanilla sweetness, while the toast of the barrel adds a warm, nutty edge. Citrus keeps the palate lively, and juniper and spice show through as the glass warms. The finish is long, round and gently oaky. The time in barrel varies, up to a year, so the oak shapes the gin without hiding it. Chardonnay casks are less tannic than red wine barrels, which keeps the colour light and the texture soft. Vanilla and toast linger longest.

Broken Heart was created by two German master distillers in Queenstown and named in memory of one of them, Bernd, who died suddenly. The barrel-agedBarrel-aged ginGin rested for a while in wooden casks. It picks up a golden colour and notes of vanilla, spice or the wine that filled the cask before.GlossarySee Barrel-aged gin gins bottling took silver at The Junipers 2024 and at the New Zealand Spirits Awards 2023. Its oak and sweetness also suit stirred drinks usually made with whisky, such as an Old Fashioned 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. A square of dark chocolate makes a good companion when sipping it. Neat, a drop of water opens the citrus.

The distillery recommends it over ice. Place one large clear iceClear iceIce without air bubbles, made by slow, directional freezing. Denser, it melts more slowly and dilutes less.Glossary cube in a short tumblerRocks glassA short, heavy glass (tumbler) for a spirit over a large ice cube or a short cocktail.Glossary and pour 4 cl of Broken Heart Barrel Aged Gin over it, without tonic. Add a broad orange twistTwistA strip of peel twisted over the glass to release its oils, then dropped into the drink.Glossary; its oil lifts the citrus and suits the buttery Chardonnay wood.