Inspired by the beautiful Gower Peninsular in South Wales, the first area in the UK to be designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Gŵyr is a bold new gin that you won’t forget.
The eye-catching stylish breton design was inspired by co-founder Siân Brooks’ past as a French teacher. Copper plays a key part in the design too with the highlights a nod to the 18th and 19th century industry in nearby Swansea.
Less than a year old, Gŵyr is really new onto the market and the product of intense research to find the right botanicals and style. This was documented through Siân’s great ‘52 weeks of gin‘ blog, a well written whirlwind journey through gin on the way to creating their own.
‘We wanted a strong brand that would stand out on a gin shelf, a distinctive but not gimmicky London Dry gin and a gin to create the perfect G&T.’
The gin itself is a balance of 8 botanicals including lemon and pink grapefruit zest alongside locally foraged bronze and green fennel which pack a flavourful punch.
Fresh fennel flavours
On the nose you get the fennel but it’s fairly savoury, with not a lot of the citrus. But to taste you really get a beautiful, gentle, almost sweet spice through the fennel. This plays into the warmth of the gin, Gŵyr Gin’s spice comes from the aniseed fennel unlike other spicy gins which tend to take their punch from coriander. Even when neat it’s much softer and fresher than you maybe would expect for something that uses fennel as a key botanical.
They recommend pairing it with a slice of dried blood orange, and Gin Foundry suggest 1724 Tonic. Having tried it with Merchant’s Heart’s beautiful Pink Peppercorn tonic, and Fentimans’ Pink Grapefruit tonic I’d recommend both of those too.
Welsh wonders
It was so great to meet both Andrew and Siân at Junipalooza and see just how passionate and excited they are about their creation.
Earlier this year they picked up a Silver Award at the prestigious London Spirits Competition and Bronze at the San Francisco Spirits Competition, and it seems recognition like this will only continue.
Lechyd da!
Pick up a bottle for yourself over at The Juniper Club.