When it comes to gin, regulations are not as strict as they are for example in the whiskey segment, regardless of whether it’s an American Bourbon or a Scotch Single Malt. Of course not every spirit meets the requirements to call itself a gin, but there is a relatively large scope. This is mainly because there are different classification levels within this range. Anyway, today’s gin is a special one, because it is made from potatoes.

Basically gin must contain juniper and it must have at least 37,5%. vol. alcohol. Other aspects depend on the type of gin you’re dealing with. To most gin drinkers it should be clear that a London Dry Gin doesn’t have to come from the city of London, but that it’s just a particular type of gin is. A Dry Gin (without the word “London”), however, is also regulated as a special Gin category since 2014: it may – like a London Dry Gin – only contain a maximum of 0.1 g of sugar in a liter. In addition to that, however, the scale of options is quite large, as you can see in today’s Windspiel Premium Dry Gin (Windspiel is the German word for wind chimes or windbells): The Windspiel Gin is a German gin from the Volcanic Eifel. Strictly speaking from the Weilerhof in Berlingen, where it is distilled from potatoes that have grown on the volcanic soil. The manufacturer, the Eifelion GmbH, informs about some of the used botanicals addition, so besides the classic juniper they also use coriander, cloves, ginger, lavender, lemon peel and cinnamon. More are included, but are not publicly known.

With its 47% vol. the Windspiel Premium Dry Gin comes at quite a potent strength, though that’s not uncommon, of course. The overall product is clearly recognizable as an English-inspired London Dry gin.

Tasting notes:

On the nose you’ll instantly find the typical juniper touch alongside fresh tones that I would associate with lemon peel and coriander. There is even a little licorice in the background. On the palate again some lemon and coriander, while relatively strong with the characteristic juniper soul.

In combination with Windspiel Tonic Water the Windspiel Premium Dry Gin offers a very fresh and lemony-dry experience. The tonic from German mineral water is a classical, quinine-bitter tonic that also convinced me of its pure quality.

Buying sources: In stores or online, for example here.