Blackforest Wild Gin Traditional

Aroma: Lemon, green tea. Taste: The flavor is very citrus-dominant, almost to the exclusion of everything else. There are some light herbal notes, but I didn't detect any juniper, which is highly unusual for a gin. The texture is thin and watery. This was one of four samples in a distillery-provided set of Wild liqueurs and spirits. I wasn't particularly impressed with any of them, and this was my least favorite. Unfortunately, I felt it failed completely as a gin, tasting much more like lemon-flavored vodka. The label lists “orange, cardamom, juniper, and coriander,” but of those botanicals, I only tasted orange, and juniper was noticeably absent. According to their website, this gin uses 65 botanicals, but I found it lacked any complexity when tasted neat. When used as a base for a G&T, it vanished instantly with just a small amount of tonic. “Inferior” rating: 65/100 (1.5 stars)

Originating from the same German locale and featuring one less botanical than Monkey 47, this gin boasts an impressive 45 ingredients, leading to a correspondingly intricate profile. The aroma presents prominent lime citrus, ginger's heat, and notes of herbs and berries. The taste introduces black pepper and a hint of sourness. While its character seems edgy and potent, it mellows exceptionally well with tonic, proving quite satisfactory in the end.