Citadelle Decadence Juniper Cask(44%)

Juniper trees grow naturally in the Charentes region of France, and are even cultivated for the Château de Bonbonnet (home of Citadelle gin). They were inspired by the historical practice of maturing and storing gin in wood (similar to wine and other spirits). Although this has generally fallen out of practice, it is now gaining popularity again thanks to the additional flavours given to gin. For their Décadence gin, they use their signature recipe (used to make the original Citadelle gin), which contains 19 plant-based ingredients. They then rest the gin in wooden barrels made from juniper wood. This process takes a month. These barrels are custom designed, have a conical shape and hold 100L of the gin. The resting process creates a smokiness in the wood and enhances the spicy notes in the original recipe. The result is a gin with a silky smooth taste that fits perfectly in the mouth. There is an intriguing bittersweetness and the smokiness that fuses with the juniper notes. Pepper, coconut, ginger and nutmeg also come through and are enhanced by cinnamon, aniseed and liquorice. The floral notes are certainly still present, however, with camphor and angelica also unfolding as the drink is enjoyed.