National Distillery Company Hemp Gin

Nose: Dry herbal aromas, nutty, seedy. Dried grass, hay and dust. Palate: Oily and herbal on the arrival, turning nutty later. Creamy and warming rather than peppery. Finish: Medium. Nutty but a little sour. I’ve tasted many hemp gins now but I’ve never tasted one I’ve liked. It seems to be a minor obsession with distillers to use flax and hemp seed as gin botanicals but I’m at a loss as to why. Maybe it's a rite of passage for them to try all things wacky before settling on their final recipe. This is just one more in a long line of failed, dull or uninteresting experiments with hemp, IMHO, which is frustrating because I'm sure the distiller at National Distillery can do way better. Full marks for experimentation, but as for selling the stuff to customers? Nah. We tried this and the other National Distillery gins that I’m reviewing here at the distillery in Napier, New Zealand, and their tour of the distillery and following tasting was gracious, engaging and very well worth the time and cost. Highly recommended if you happen to be in Napier. “Adequate” : 73/100 (2.25 stars)