GINSTR - Stuttgart Dry Gin

Volume: 0.5 litres | Alcohol content: 44% | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Regional ingredients and a recipe featuring 46 botanicals shape this Stuttgart Dry Gin. Citrus fruits, juniper and rosemary come from the makers' own cultivation, local nurseries or greenhouses in the region. Ingredients that do not grow locally are sourced through regional merchants, chiefly at Stuttgart's market hall. Other ingredients include cardamom, coriander, liquorice, kaffir lime leaves, orange and hibiscus blossoms, and pomegranate seeds. Filtered water from Lake Constance is supplemented with mineral water from Cannstatt for the gin.

The connection to Stuttgart extends to bottling: each batch comprises 711 bottles, a reference to the city's 0711 telephone dialling code. Batches are named after places in Stuttgart; the first was called Killesberg. The brand name incorporates STR, the city's airport code. The gin is bottled at 44% in 0.5-litre bottles and contains neither colourings nor additives. In 2018, it won the Gin & Tonic Trophy at the IWSC in London and received an Outstanding Gold award.

Alongside fresh citrus notes and juniper, a hint of rosemary adds an herbal accent. Grapefruit and lime complete the overall aromatic profile. The gin suits gin and tonic as well as classic cocktails such as the Negroni or Gin Fizz.

Lemon initially comes to the fore on the nose with a bitter note; after some time in the glass, juniper and delicate herbal notes emerge. Lemon remains prominent on the palate, accompanied by freshness and bitter, fruity impressions. Rosemary is more pronounced here, while a delicate liquorice note appears on the mid-palate. Coriander and cardamom add spice, with juniper remaining more in the background in flavour.

The dark green glass bottle has a white label with a gold Stuttgart skyline along its lower edge.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Fresh citrus aromas mingle with clearly discernible juniper on the nose. Subtle herbal and spice notes round out the aroma.
• Palate: The gin is full-bodied and balanced on the palate. A pronounced citrus note takes the lead, accompanied by juniper and gentle herbal spice.
• Finish: The long, dry finish leaves citrus aromas and a subtle pungency.

Distillery/Bottler:

Alexander Franke and Markus Escher are behind GINSTR and Stuttgart Distillers. Distillation takes place in their own distillery on Markus Escher's parents' wine estate. They call their still Otto, after Escher's grandfather, from whom they inherited the distillery.

Production remains in their own hands, from preparing the ingredients to the finished bottle. The botanicals are macerated and then distilled. Bottling, numbering each bottle and inserting the corks are also done by hand.

Facts: