Blood Monkey Irish Craft Gin 70cl

Product Information

Of course, said boom has also gifted the world with some less-than-stellar spirits, making it more difficult to sort the best from the rest. Until now. After over a decade of taste-testing, we have curated the ultimate guide to the very best gins on the market today, from big names to boutique gin makers–and every brilliant brand in between. What's the best gin to buy in 2023? Copperpenny 005 was also found to meet the Master criteria, delivering a “good hit of juniper” on the nose, with “pink peppercorns and sansho on the finish”. And Wabi Sabi Gin also won the top accolade for its “bomb of a palate, with horseradish, some woody notes and a lovely sweetness”. Deserving entries Milliken was very impressed by the standard of entries in the Navy Strength flight. “There were a couple of standouts there, especially the aged ones. Despite the navy strength, I found these very easy to drink. I did add water to them, not because I needed to, but to see how they worked – and they worked either way.” Just to assure you, the name “Blood Monkey” is inspired by the practice of “bleeding the monkey,” which was a term used by sailors in the 17th century to describe when they would surreptitiously drill into an officers’ barrel to steal the spirit inside. What is Blood Monkey Gin. King Hill’s Gin secured a Master medal after the judges discovered flavours of “sweet cinnamon, juniper and lovely green herbs”, while Lord Misrule received the Master title for being “interesting and complex, with a lovely sweet mouthfeel”.

The Craft & Co was awarded a Gold medal in the closing flight for its Gingerbread Gin Liqueur. Milliken found “lots of playful spice” on the nose with “some delicate ginger heat” palate.

Anora Group also won Gold for its Explorer Gin Organic, found to be “unmistakably gin and inviting on the nose – nice texture and a citrusy palate”. Five Silvers were also awarded in the Organic round. A citrus burst of pink grapefruit interwoven with sweet floral notes, delicately draped in the creamy smoothness of genuine Irish flax seeds

Sliabh Liag produces two whiskies under the Silkie name as well as a vodka flavoured with rowan berries and gorse flowers. But for the moment, it is all about the gin. There is Santa Ana, aged in used Rioja barrels, and An Dúlamán Irish Maritime Gin, which was awarded a gold medal at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Etsu Pacific Ocean Water also collected a Master medal in this heat for being “salty, interesting, and playful for bartenders”, while Dark Series Oyster Shell Gin gained a Master medal for its notes of “lemon verbena, fresh green meadow herbs, dill, and Szechuan peppercorn”. Native Ground, from Seppeltsfield Road Distillers, took a Master award for notes of “warm baking spices, good balanced and complexity”. Shortcross Citrus Drizzle Gin was praised for being “bright, sweet, with some zesty fresh lemon peel”.Old Tom gins, on the other hand, tends to be more citrus-forward. The recipe, which first found popularity in 18th-century England. In modern times, is distilled to be slightly sweeter than London Dry, with a richer, malty mouthfeel. Many modern Old Tom producers also play with cask- or barrel-ageing their gins. The brand name and signature drill bit design are a nod to the act of ‘bleeding the monkey’, when sailors drilled into the officers’ barrel of grog to steal the liquor inside. Blood Monkey was created by Dublin-based entrepreneur Jason Kidd, who is delighted with the gin branching out into the Canadian market: “We are thrilled to be launching Blood Monkey Gin in Canada through the Liquor Control Board of Ontario and our local partners Cork Wine & Whiskies. Canada has a rich history of appreciation for quality spirits, and we are excited to be a part of it. This is just the first step in our plans to expand our availability across North America and we can’t wait for Canadian gin lovers to try our unique and versatile gin.”

There was also no shortage of Silver medallists in the London Dry category, with 29 Silver awards given, including to Brighton Pavilion Strength, Boomsma Dry Gin, Gibson’s London Dry Gin, and Malfy Originale. Tonic water, ice and a slice of pink grapefruit, a simple combination that brings out the crisp fresh flavours in the gin, and the citrus burst gives it the perfect finish. WEST CORK DISTILLERS Master distiller at Dingle Graham Coull says: "The unique botanicals found on the Dingle peninsula give a fabulously fresh, floral character that perfectly balances the traditional botanicals often seen in London dry gin and in particular juniper. For me, this combination provides a gin of unmatched quality. But to be honest, you really have to taste it for yourself." London Dry delivered the biggest number of Gold winners in any flight of the competition, with 54 given out. The volume is testament to the great quality of products available on the market. For the perfect serve, West Cork recommends you fill a large glass with fresh ice, pour 50ml of Garnish Island Gin, 150ml of Premium tonic and garnish with a slice of strawberry. John WilsonSkellig Six18 has fresh herbaceous notes from the locally foraged botanicals with crisp citrus and pink grapefruit. Irish gin brand Blood Monkey has secured distribution of its flagship expression in Canada via the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) and Cork Wine & Whiskeys. The Irish gin features a signature drill bit design