Three Cuts Pinot Barrel Rested Gin

Nose: Citrus and floral notes, juniper, coriander and faint grape marc. Palate: A sweet and slightly umami arrival which leads into an interesting palate where barrel flavours (oak, tannin and residual wine) compete for centre stage against gin botanicals. The texture is good but there is a lean character to the spirit. Finish: Medium. Spices, semi-sweet wine and oak. A quick-hit review based on a pop-up tasting at our local liquor store today. This barrel-conditioned gin is made by Turner Stillhouse which is located in the township of Grindlewald (what a cool name!) near Launceston, Tasmania. It's an interesting barrel-aged gin and probably the sweetest such spirit I’ve tasted. The casks are immediately apparent but not so much because they lend the gin an oak character, instead the thing you get most strongly is the residual red wine presence which makes the gin sweet and fruity. The oak itself comes through as a bright spicy note in the finish. Although I liked it it's not a mixing spirit so I can’t see when I would drink it except as a neat dram, and I didn't like it enough to buy just for that purpose. It was great to taste but there's only a small niche market for this type of spirit, particularly at the asking price. “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars)