Blush Boysenberry Gin

Blush began in 2017 with two friends, Chris and Elliot, and a first batch made in a 500 ml jam jar; the company, now Blush Merchants, still works from a warehouse in Albany, on Auckland's North Shore. Its Boysenberry Gin is a small-batchSmall batchProduction in small quantities per distillation run, often in a small still. The term has no legal definition.Glossary New Zealand gin infusedInfusionFruit 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 with boysenberries, the deep purple bramble fruit, bred from raspberry and blackberry lines, of which New Zealand is one of the world's leading growers. It is bottled at 37.5% ABV, and Blush describes it as rich, smooth and full-bodied.

Citrus · Fruity

Juicy boysenberry fills the nose, with bright red-berry notes and a darker, blackberry-like depth.

On the palate, the fruit is round and generous, with a gentle tartness that keeps it fresh. JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary runs underneath as a dry line, and a citrus undertone lifts the finish. The lower strength makes the berry immediately accessible, while the juniper stops it from tasting like a fruit liqueur. Because the fruit is infused, natural sediment can appear over time, and Blush recommends keeping the bottle somewhere cool and dark, ideally in the fridge.

Blush's own signature cocktail for it is The Berry Boss, and the gin suits any drink built on dark fruit, from a BrambleBrambleA cocktail created in London in the 1980s: gin, lemon and sugar over crushed ice, drizzled with blackberry liqueur.Glossary to a berry spritz with sparkling wine. A lightly bitter mixer works best, as a very sweet soda would bury the juniper. Over ice with a few fresh berries, it also makes an easy summer sipper.

For the G&T, pour 45 ml of Boysenberry Gin into 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 filled with ice and add 100 ml of Double Dutch Pomegranate Basil Tonic slowly down the side. Add a blackberry and a lemon twistTwistA strip of peel twisted over the glass to release its oils, then dropped into the drink.Glossary to the glass, and serve the same garnish on a small plate beside it. Pomegranate echoes the berry, basil adds a green counterpoint, and the lemon sharpens the finish.