From a very tiny distillery in Styria, Austria comes the Fuxbau Distilled Gin. Only 20 litres fit the small copper still from Austria which is used to create the gin. The botanicals are distilled separately and combined afterwards. Clear water from a local source is used to get the gin down to a drinkable 44 % ABV.
Botanicals of the Fuxbau Gin
The Fuxbau Distilled Gin uses a range of botanicals. The list ends with the rowan berry which by far is not the most hidden flavour, quite the opposite. It actually adds a certain fruitiness to the gin. But the pine and spruce have their say in the taste profile as well.
The list of known botanicals:
juniper
coriander
angelica root
baldmoney
bloodroot
galangal
jasmine flower
chamomile flower
hibiscus blossom
pine
spruce
rowan berry
Tasting the Fuxbau Gin
Nose
We are talking juniper forward with a lot of freshness. The hints of pine and/or spruce are there as well, but the smell carries some hints of herbs as well. The rowan is present as well. Not a super deep, but rather refreshing nose in general.
Palate
Starting off with coriander the taste slowly builds up the juniper. With the rich juniper you taste the rowan as well after a moment. It smoothes the profile and adds an extra layer of taste. Not all ingredients are identifiable but you get a nice balance of different spices.
Aftertaste
The aftertaste leaves you with the coriander fading away first while the juniper keeps lingering in the back and then builds up to a stronger presence. We are talking about a medium to longer and sweet aftertaste and a touch of herbs. No burning sensations at any time.
On ice
The coriander comes forward but the profile stays very similar to being tasted without ice. The juniper's spicy part gets reduced a little bit though.
Summary
These small distilleries can be so much fun to discover and to try their products. When you are lucky you find a gem, and sometimes there is a reason why a distillery did not grow yet. This gin is one of those gems. It has a nice taste profile and is something you should give a try. They offer 200 and 500 ml bottles in their shop. On the website you can find more places where the gin can be purchased as well.
