Even before the now-world-famous, multi-award-winning Southwestern Distillery (the distillery behind Tarquin’s Cornish Gin) created a delicious Rosemary & Thyme Limited Edition for Craft Gin Club’s April 2016 Gin of the Month, we were in love with the gin-credible flavour profiles of their Tarquin’s Cornish Gin range.

Now, in this feature, we are taking a closer look at Tarquin’s gin and what makes it so special.

So, from what Tarquin’s gin is and who makes it, to the best Tarquin’s gin serving suggestions and where to buy it, you can discover everything you need to know about Tarquin’s gin right here…

What is Tarquin’s Gin?

Image: Tarquin’s Gin

Tarquin’s Cornish Gin is a brand of craft gins distilled in Cornwall by the Southwestern Distillery.

The first Tarquin’s gin was Tarquin’s Cornish Dry Gin but the Tarquin’s gin range has now grown to include Navy Strength and flavoured gins like Tarquin’s Salty Dog Navy Strength and Tarquin’s British Blackberry Gin.

Tarquin’s gins are made using the one-shot method, employing two copper Portuguese stills called Senara and Tamara, which are heated traditionally with an open flame and need to be sealed with bread dough when used.

Tarquin’s gin bottles are distinguishable by their unique shape, frosted glass finish and coloured wax seal. The Tarquin’s gin label also includes an image of a puffin bird, which is a symbol of Southwestern Distillery.

Tarquin Leadbetter, Tarquin’s Cornish Gin founder. Image: Tarquin’s Gin

Who owns Tarquin’s Gin?

The Tarquin’s Cornish Gin brand was founded by Devon-born Tarquin Leadbetter, who developed his distillery into what we now know as Southwestern Distillery.

Where is Tarquin’s gin based?

The Southwestern Distillery, where Tarquin’s Cornish Gin is distilled, is based on Higher Trevibban Farm in Cornwall. You can also find Tarquin’s gin schools in the Cornish villages of Padstow and St Ives.

Is Tarquin’s gin good?

Tarquin’s gins are considered some of the best gins in the world.

They have won numerous awards from prestigious bodies, including the Gold award from the International Wine & Spirits Competition 2014 and the Gold award from the San Francisco World Spirit Competition 2016 for Tarquin’s Cornish Dry Gin.

Tarquin’s The Seadog Navy Gin notably won Best Gin and Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirit Competition 2017.

Image: Tarquin’s Gin

Image: Tarquin’s Gin

Tarquin’s Cornish Gins have seen such success because of the craft, small-batch method of distilling used to create them.

By paying close attention to the quality of the botanical ingredients they use, and by only distilling in batches of around 240 bottles, Southwestern Distillery is able to devote itself to perfecting every part of the distilling process, ensuring their masterful techniques are applied to every drop of gin.

What do you have in Tarquins gin? The key botanicals chosen for Tarquin's Cornish Dry Gin are juniper, violets, coriander seed, grapefruit peel, liquorice root, lemon peel, angelica root, fresh orange, orris root, bitter almond, green cardamom and cinnamon.

Tarquin’s Cornish Dry Gin is then used as a base for Tarquin’s flavoured gins like Tarquin’s Rhubarb & Raspberry Gin and Tarquin’s Strawberry & Lime Gin.

How do you serve Tarquin’s gin?

We recommend that you serve Tarquin’s Cornish Dry Gin with a premium Mediterranean tonic, garnished with fresh pink grapefruit and a spring of fresh thyme.

Image: Tarquin’s Gin

The perfect Tarquin’s gin and tonic serving suggestion:

50ml Tarquin’s Cornish Dry Gin
200ml premium tonic water
Slice of fresh grapefruit, to garnish
Sprig of fresh thyme, to garnish

Add the Tarquin’s gin and the tonic water to a Copa glass with lots of ice and stir. Garnish, serve and enjoy!

What tonic goes with Tarquin’s gin?

We recommend serving Tarquin’s Cornish Dry Gin with Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water, which is available to buy on the Craft Gin Club online shop.

What is the best Tarquin’s gin?

While, on paper at least, Tarquin’s Cornish Dry Gin and Tarquin’s The Seadog Navy Gin might be considered the best Tarquin’s gins because they have won the most awards, Tarquin’s has a huge range of craft gins that is sure to sate any ginny appetite.

Three of the best Tarquin’s gins are:

Tarquin’s Cornish Sunshine Blood Orange Gin

Find out more about Tarquin’s Cornish Sunshine Blood Orange Gin here!

Image: Tarquin’s Gin

Tarquin’s Strawberry & Lime Gin

Find out more about Tarquin’s Strawberry & Lime Gin here!

Image: Tarquin’s Gin

Tarquin’s British Blackberry Gin

Find out more about Tarquin’s British Blackberry Gin here!

Image: Tarquin’s Gin

Is Tarquin’s Gin gluten-free?

Tarquin’s Cornish Dry Gin is indeed gluten-free as it contains no ingredients that contain gluten.

Is Tarquin’s gin vegan-friendly?

Almost all of Tarquin’s gins are vegan-friendly apart from Tarquin’s Blackberry Gin, which is made with natural honey from bees.

How many calories in Tarquin's gin?

Tarquin’s Cornish Dry Gin, like most London Dry gins (according to drinkaware), contains around 55 calories per 25ml serving. The calorie count may vary for Tarquin’s flavoured gins.

What supermarket sells Tarquin’s gin?

Tarquin’s gin is available to buy on the Craft Gin Club online shop, here!

Tarquin’s gins are also sold on the Tarquin’s Cornish Gin website.