Sipsmith Origin 1639 Gin
One of the byproducts of the ginaissance is the plethora of books about gin, tracing its history, detailing the changes in fashion, and the types that have been developed. Most attribute the arrival of gin to Britain to the ascendency of William, Prince of Orange, to the British throne and his penchant for the Dutch spirit, genever. However, some new research by Sipsmith Master Distiller, Jared Brown, and his drink historian wife, Anistatia Miller, have debunked this theory.
It all started while researching the variations of spellings of the word “juniper” in old books in the National Archives, and stumbling across a copy of The Distiller of London from 1639. Within its coded pages lay a recipe featuring juniper, orange peel, lemon peel, and orris root, the foundation stones of what is now the London Dry Gin, predating the arrival of Dutch genever-based spirits by around fifty years. It was an opportunity too good to miss and Brown swung into action, ultimately adding Sipsmith Origin 1639 Gin to the range of Sipsmith gins.
In production they use a grain spirit, typically used in whisky production, which gives a buttery feel in the mouth. As well as the botanicals mentioned in the 1639 recipe, Brown has infused the distillate with ripe strawberries and raspberries before laying it to rest in oak barrels. The result is a slightly light tawny looking spirit which has an ABV of 42%.
On the nose there is no mistaking that this is a juniper-centric spirit, music to my nostrils, with accompanying citric notes, a dollop of spice and the freshness of the berries. In the glass, the rich, oily juniper takes centre stage while the citrus provides some intense top notes, the whole effect mellowed down by the gentler influence of the spices and berries.
It is not an elegant or sophisticated gin but is one that allows its component parts to breathe and contribute to the whole. As someone who has found that what the Sipsmith gins gains in subtlety they lose in pizazz, this is a gin that goes a long way to restoring the balance. If the original was anything like this, then it must really have been groundbreaking.
Of course, the obvious question is why did it not take off there and then. The English Civil War and the rise of puritanism, naturally, had their parts to play, causing the recipe for a new tipple to fall into obscurity, only for the fashion of gin to make its mark with the Protestant Ascendancy and the arrival of William of Orange. Nevertheless, Bowen’s researches has shed a fascinating insight into the true origins of British gin.
You can read all about in their book, A Most Noble Water, while sipping a glass of Origin 1639, of course.
Until the next time, cheers!
