Tide Gin

Tide Gin has been Barrelling Tide Distillery's signature gin since 2016. Made in Port Williams, Nova Scotia, it brings together sixteen local and imported botanicals and is bottled at 40% ABV. The distillery describes the first impression through three named ingredients: juniper, cardamom and coriander. Their peppery character arrives before the profile opens with air, when anise, citrus and floral notes become more apparent. This gradual change is central to the way the gin reads in the glass: a firm, savoury beginning followed by a lighter, more aromatic finish.

Citrus · Spicy · Floral

JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary supplies the familiar resinousResinousAn aroma reminiscent of pine or fir resin. It is juniper's signature, due to compounds such as pinene.Glossary backbone, but cardamom and coriander give the opening a warmer, dry spice. As the spirit rests in the glass, the nose becomes more open and the palate gives way to citrus and a softer floral impression. Anise appears as part of the tasting profile, adding a gentle aromatic note rather than a sweet, liqueur-like effect. The different phases make the gin engaging neat, where there is time to notice the shift, and useful in a long drink, where the spice can hold its place against bubbles and ice.

The recipe's sixteen botanicals draw on both local and imported sources, while only a small part of the composition is named. That balance of known and varied ingredients gives Tide a broad aromatic range without requiring a long inventory to explain it. The awards add a useful marker: Tide earned silver at the World Gin Awards and New York International Spirits Competition in 2023, alongside gold at the London Spirits Competition and the MLSA Competition. At the tasting table, the clearest guide remains the gin itself: peppery juniper first, then citrus and a floral lift.

Serve 4.5 cl of Tide Gin over ice in 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 and top with 12 cl of Erasmus Bond Classic Tonic. Add an orange twistTwistA strip of peel twisted over the glass to release its oils, then dropped into the drink.Glossary and one lightly cracked cardamom pod to the glass, then place the same garnishes on a small plate beside it. The tonic's classic quinineQuinineAn alkaloid from cinchona bark that gives tonic its bitterness. The British in India drank it against malaria and added gin: the gin and tonic was born.Glossary profile leaves space for the gin's spice and keeps its evolving citrus notes easy to follow. A single gentle stir is enough; give the drink a moment before tasting so the orange oils and cardamom can meet the cooler, peppery gin.