National Distillery Company Hemp Gin

Smell: Dry botanical scents, with nuts and seeds. Like dried grass, hay, and dirt. Taste: Smooth and botanical at first, then nutty. It's creamy and warming, not spicy. End: Lasts a medium amount of time. Nutty but a bit tart. I've sampled a lot of hemp gins but never found one I enjoyed. It seems many producers are keen on using flax and hemp seeds in their gins, but I don't get why. Perhaps it's a necessary step for them to experiment with odd ingredients before finalizing their recipe. This is just another in a long line of disappointing, bland, or uninspired hemp attempts, in my opinion. It's frustrating because I'm sure the National Distillery's creator could do much better. Full points for trying new things, but for selling it? No way. I tasted this and the other National Distillery gins I'm reviewing here at their location in Napier, New Zealand. Their distillery tour and subsequent tasting were pleasant, engaging, and definitely worth the cost and time. Highly recommended if you're visiting Napier. "Acceptable": 73/100 (2.25 stars)