We’re on a mission to introduce UK gin lovers to amazing gins… and that’s why, each month, in addition to our Gin of the Month, we make a new Discovery Gin available on our online shop!
These delicious, unique and adventurous spirits are chosen to help gin lovers broaden their horizons, explore new flavours and find fabulous gins that don’t fit the standard mould.
This month, we’re thrilled to introduce gin lovers to Marie Jeanne’s Pink Gin from the amazing distillers at Massingberd-Mundy. Inspired by the amazing history of the estate upon which it’s distilled -- and the sassy, glamorous French aristocrat who left a life at Versailles behind to call it home -- this blushing pink gin is just like its namesake: the perfect balance between sweet and tart!
August 2020’s Craft Gin Club Discovery Gin:
Marie Jeanne’s Pink Gin
43% ABV
Distilled at the historic South Ormsby Estate in Lincolnshire
Botanicals: Juniper, Angelica Root, Orris Root, Coriander, Fresh Lime Peel, Cranberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Cassia Bark, Dried Hibiscus Flowers, Liquorice Root, Pink Peppercorns
Tasting Notes: Sweet red berries with a hint of citrussy lime on the nose. On the palate, subtle juniper notes are joined by a blast of strawberry and raspberry, a sweet, peppery heat and a clean hit of lime. A velvety but dry finish tapers off with a lingering sweetness.
How to Drink It
Marie-Jeanne Perfect G&T
This beautiful gin and tonic enhances the amazing array of botanicals in Marie Jeanne’s Gin, and happens to be quite beautiful, too.
Ingredients
50ml Marie Jeanne’s Pink Gin
150ml premium tonic water
A handful of fresh raspberries, sprig of mint and wheel of lime, to garnish
Method
Pack a copa glass with ice. Add the gin and tonic. Stir gently, garish and serve.
Scroll down for a delicious strawberries-and-cream cocktail to make with your Marie-Jeanne’s Gin!
What’s the story?
For hundreds of years, the South Ormsby Estate in Lincolnshire was a thriving community. But when the last squire died in the early 2000s, things began to fall apart -- until new owners arrived with a mission to revive these 3,000 acres in the rolling Lincolshire Wolds. From opening the pub and village school back up to restoring the stately home, it was a huge undertaking -- and when they decided to put a gin distillery on the property as part of the redevelopment project, distiller Tristan Jorgensen was excited to join.
When Tristan got set to work crafting spirits that would capture the beauty of the South Ormsby Estate, the personalities of two of its most famous owners proved to be particularly interesting: Charles Burrell, who became the squire of the estate in 1802 and his second wife, Marie-Jeanne.
A portrait of Marie-Jeanne.
After developing a classic London Dry based on the upright gentleman Charles, Tristan delved deeply into the life of Marie-Jeanne, and was instantly captivated.
This charismatic and beautiful woman had been born in the glittering palace of Versailles, the seat of the glamorous French monarchy. But she gave it all up to move to a stately home in Lincolnshire, where her great love, Charles, lived. According to local legend, the historical novel The Scarlet Pimpernel is based on the life of Charles Burrell, and he rescued Marie-Jeanne from the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution.
Whether this dramatic romance actually began in the chaotic streets of Paris or not is anyone’s guess, but either way Marie-Jeanne proved a compelling starting point for a glamorous pink gin.
“I wanted to create something that was elegant, sassy and a little bit different. Basing it on a Frenchwoman in the Lincolnshire Wolds seemed perfect.”
“She was a stylish, sassy socialite, and beloved by everybody. I wanted her gin to be as close to a traditional gin as possible, but made sassy with red fruits and spice. It’s a marriage of the sweet and the dry.”
A portrait of Charles.
To craft this month’s amazing discovery gin, Tristan began by sourcing his key botanicals. Many mainstays of London Dry gins appear on his botanicals list: coriander, lime peel, cassia bark and pink peppercorn all go into the still, forming a classic and well-balanced flavour profile in the finished spirit. But any gin paying tribute to Marie-Jeanne needed something to set it apart -- after all, this glamorous socialite broke every mould!
“I really wanted to use red berries,” says Tristan. “There are a lot of strawberries and raspberries, but I wanted another red fruit that wasn’t too sweet.”
To flesh out Marie-Jeanne’s tart side, Tristan turned to cranberries. “It’s all about trying to balance that sweetness,” he explains.
The result is as close to a classic London Dry as a pink gin can get. Elegant, sophisticated and glamorous, this gin is well-suited for connoisseurs -- but with a seriously sassy whack of sweet and tart red fruit, balanced perfectly, it’s also a lot of fun.
And, like it’s namesake -- a lady of Versailles who made herself right at home in the Lincolnshire Wolds -- it’s not what you might expect.
“There are so many fruity gins that are sickly sweet — they don’t really taste like gin. This gin breaks that stereotype.”
And with Marie-Jeanne’s beautiful portrait at the back of the bottle, the whole package is as special as its namesake.
Tristan loves to keep a bottle of this gin in the freezer, and sip it over ice of an evening. But why not try our Perfect G&T, or the delicious cocktail recipe below?
Billy Jean Sling
Inspired by the summer mainstay Wimbledon (sadly cancelled this year) this strawberries-and-cream cocktail would be right at home at the extravagant dinners of Versailles.
Ingredients
30ml Marie-Jeanne Pink Gin
30ml whipped cream liqueur
30ml grenadine
Strawberries, hulled, to garnish
Whipped cream to garnish (optional)
Method
Combine 30ml of Marie-Jeanne pink gin and 30ml of whipped cream liqueur and shake them well in a cocktail shaker. Pour 30ml of grenadine into a tall glass, then drop in some ice and strawberries. Strain in the gin and liqueur mixture and top off with soda water. Garnish with strawberries and whipped cream.
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