Elephant London Dry Gin

Volume: 0.5 litres | Alcohol content: 45% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

African plants and fresh German apples give this London Dry gin its distinctive botanical blend. The recipe contains 14 ingredients: juniper, apple, mountain pine needles, lavender, sweet orange peel, cassia bark, ginger, allspice, elderflower, baobab, buchu, devil's claw, lion's tail and African wormwood. Apple adds fruity freshness, while lavender and elderflower contribute floral accents, and ginger and allspice bring spicy notes.

The gin is offered at 45% alcohol in a 0.5-litre bottle. The handwritten label pairs a bottle number with an elephant's name; the illustrated map depicts Africa's southern coast. A natural cork and a hand-sealed hemp cord complete the presentation. Elephant Gin donates 15% of the profit from each bottle to African elephant conservation projects.

Alongside juniper and herbs, floral, fruity and spicy impressions shape its character. The gin can be enjoyed neat or in cocktails. For a gin and tonic, Elephant Gin recommends fresh apple slices as a garnish.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: A delicate juniper aroma meets mountain pine and herbs. Fruity impressions and ginger spice are complemented by floral notes, while a slight earthiness rounds out the bouquet.
• Palate: The gin feels soft on the palate and offers layered flavours. Lavender and elderflower mingle with citrus notes and a light sweetness. Spicy impressions lead initially, before pine and juniper become more prominent.
• Finish: The long finish is dry and warming. Spicy pepper notes linger on the palate.

Distillery/Bottler:

The idea for Elephant Gin emerged after travels through Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. Back in Europe, the founders combined their enthusiasm for gin with a commitment to protecting African elephants and their habitats. Their encounters with African plants also provided the starting point for the unusual recipe.

Elephant Gin is made in Germany in small batches using copper stills. The botanicals are selected by hand. For the London Dry gin, they are macerated before distillation, meaning they are steeped in alcohol for 24 hours. Production follows the one-shot method; the gin is then brought to bottling strength with local spring water rather than diluted with additional neutral alcohol. No artificial flavourings are added after distillation.

Facts: