As the sun sets on another incredible year, let me tell you the story of Foragers Black Label.
Why? Because Foragers Black Label Gin was made for nights like this. New Year’s Eve, celebrations, gatherings.
In 2016 when creating this stunning spirit, the phrase that was going round and round in my head was ‘simple elegance’.
I love bold dry gins. But, unfortunately, all too often, bold also means a million botanicals. A million competing flavours in a single sip.
I wanted bold, but I also wanted pure. And clean.
I wanted something more refined.
I wanted to create a gin that would make the ultimate gin martini. A gin that would make the most elegant of Negronis.
I wanted simple elegance.
It took years.
Then one morning, coming into the distillery, I tasted a batch of Forager’s Yellow Label that was in its ultra long maceration. Just two botanicals that had been resting for weeks – juniper and sea buckthorn.
Two botanicals that danced and married together perfectly.
Forager’s Yellow Label adds four more key botanicals – bringing a subtle sweetness and mountain floral notes. But there was something in the bold, deep tones that sparked a new expression. Forager’s Black Label was in the making.
The final recipe would still be some months away. But it was there – in these two botanicals. A rough diamond just needing its edges taken off.
Distilling a gin with just two botanicals is hard.
The balance has to be perfect. To capture those orange peel notes from the sea buckthorn and just enough juniper kick and dryness to achieve the profile Foragers Black Label in renowned for.
To this day, we distil in tiny batches on our beautiful copper stills. Just 200 or so bottles per distillation. It means we can go slowly. It means we can strive for perfection in every bottle.
So as we approach the end of another year, join me. This is what I’ll be making and drinking as midnight comes round, as the fireworks are released and 2023 comes into sight.
A Perfect Negroni.
25ml Forager’s Black Label Gin
20ml Campari
25ml Red Vermouth (I recommend Carpano Antica Formula)
Fill a rocks glass with cubed ice, add all ingredients and stir for about 20 seconds, garnish with and orange or grapefruit twist.
Black Label was made for this.
Here’s to 2022.
Here’s to 2023.
Here’s to you.
Chris Marshall
Founder & Master Distiller
