Gin de Binche Le Jardin du Phénix Rose & Cucumber

The roses and cucumbers in Le Jardin du Phénix Rose & Cucumber grow at Ferme du Phénix, in Waudrez, part of Binche. The farm created this edition with Plus Oultre Distillery, which designs, distils and bottles its gins in the same town, so both the plants and the spirit come from Binche.

Floral · Herbal

Juniper sets the base, and the two plants in the name shape the rest. The rose brings a delicate floral side, soft rather than heady, and the cucumber carries the palate on into fresh, green, vegetal notes.

On the nose the rose comes first, light and petal-like; in the mouth the cucumber takes over, crisp and almost watery, while juniper keeps a dry, piney line beneath both. Together they read like a summer garden: the flower gives the fragrance, the cucumber keeps each sip cool and clean. The Belgian gin is 40% ABV and comes in a 50 cl bottle.

The Garden G&T keeps the attention on those two plants. Chill a large glass with large ice cubesLarge iceOne large block melts far more slowly than several small cubes, so the drink stays cold without watering down.Glossary, pour in 4 cl gin and gently add 11 cl Hysope Tonic Water Original, then stir once and finish with a thin cucumber slice. As at the distillery, the tonic is a neutral one so the rose and cucumber stay clear, and the slice of cucumber in the glass echoes the one in the gin. Beyond this edition, the Gin de Binche range is tied to the Carnival of Binche.