Before any discussion of Boë Gin can take place, it is surely necessary to establish how on earth it got that name. As some of you may have already guessed, the distillers were paying homage to the legend of world renowned professor Franz de la Boë (A.K.A Franciscus Sylvius), who supposedly invented gin in 1658*. This dubious tale tells of how Boë (the man, not the distillery – I promise this won’t get that confusing) was searching for a means to create a medicinal tonic**. In one of those fabled attempts, he carefully infused a clear grain spirit with hand-picked juniper berries. It’s said to have cured little but his recent breakup.
Just a small matter of 350 years later, Boë Gin was launched in 2008. But this unlikely anecdote was not the only source of inspiration. Boë was prompted to take action after it became clear that gin was in the infancy of a revolutionary wholescale change and had become a market prime for original productions. Changes within the mainstream gin trade had seen brands such as Bombay Sapphire and Hendrick’s begin to challenge the dominance of Gordon's. In a new era, the possibilities to brew, market and express with gin were suddenly endless. This created the ideal conditions for an ambitious and creative team to make a mark, which is exactly what Boë Gin did. Posing a new dynamic in this exciting space, the founders sought to stand out with a distinctive clean, spiced and refreshing flavour aided by a seductive bottle and savvy business-sense.
Standing apart in such a competitive market is no easy feat, but Boë Gin manages it through adding a personal touch to distilling. Implementing a strictly methodical process, it could be said that Boë Gin echoes the manners of its greatest influence and namesake. All products follow the same internal procedure; a specific distiller is chosen to work on a specific recipe. Gins are created in small batches under the careful gaze of their master distiller. Botanicals are hand picked, spices are infused in the finest neutral grain spirit and the whole operation is catered to liberating fuller flavours. Boë Gin is a great example of a company that understands modern palates while respecting proud traditions. Juniper berries and flavoursome oils are maintained as the soul of the gin distillation, but there’s more to the body of these gins. Merging commonplace trade favourites such as aromatic coriander or citrus fruits with the warm flavours of Aframomum melegueta (or a ginger-type grain to you and me), or the Chinese cassia bark, this is gin with bold character but not reckless indulgence. How does it all taste? What are you asking me for? It’s all below!
*He didn’t.
**‘I was just making medicinal tonic’ doesn’t fly at employment tribunals, by the way. The more you know…