Broken Heart Dry Gin - 70cl - 40% ABV

Romance comes in many forms, though we as people are primarily occupied with the big headline moments – typically those which involve sex, marriage and babies. The romance of friendship is far less discussed, though it is the crutch upon which we hobble when life becomes too grave and the source of those wild stabs of laughter that permeate each and every day. Broken Heart Gin is a tribute to friendship – to the powerful impact a friend can have on ones life and to the gaping hole that is left behind when they depart.

Broken Heart Gin’s story begins with Joerg Henkenhaf (a pilot) and Bernd Schnabel (an engineer), two German’s living in New Zealand who formed a friendship around a love of distilling. The two men had very similar ideas on what a gin should taste like and spent three years crafting away on the recipe for what they considered to be a perfect gin. Sadly, in 2012, Bernd became ill with a particularly ruthless strain of cancer and passed away, leaving Joerg bereft.

There is a hint of rosemary about the taste, though this is more than likely down to the lavender, which has been used very well – bringing a straight, strong line to proceedings and never veering on the side of soapy. Juniper comes through on the palate almost instantly and lasts for most of the sip. While never subtle, it’s matched step for step by an underlying muskiness from the hops, barley and angelica which anchor the flavour, meanwhile Orange blossom dances throughout giving the gin a certain levity