So, where do I begin? I love wine, yet I also love gin and what a wonderful experience it was to visit the Dyfi Distillery, a small family business situated only 8 miles south of Dolgellau. The Dyfi Valley is a UNESCO designated biosphere reserve - the only one in Wales out of more than 250 worldwide.
Dyfi Original is a classic gin that consumers would recognise the flavours, however it is still unique as native plants are used in its making such as Scot’s Pine that really complements the juniper. Bog myrtle, coriander and lemon all make this gin more complex and interesting.
Pollination Gin was a 2 year project before Dyfi Original. Pete and Danny Cameron wanted to make gins that gave a sense of where they come from. With 60 botanicals in the Dyfi Valley what an amazing choice. Out of the 29 botanicals chosen, 20 were foraged locally. There is bog myrtle, chamomile, hawthorn and more. These are redistilled rather than infused and what really fascinated me was the way they think of blending the flavours. Think in colour! Synesthesia. A spectrum of colour for e.g. juniper next to conifer greens and wild flowers being white, cream & yellow. What a scrumptious gin but please don’t spoil it by drowning it with tonic!!!
Hibernation Gin was the first gin in the world to be aged in a white port barrel so they claim. And what logical thinking as what do you sip your white port with? Tonic of course, therefore why not barrel age gin - the perfect partner to tonic? Notes of wild crab apples complement the cinnamon, nutmeg and caramel barrel flavours so well. Delicious.
Now I could go on forever, but the visit has made me feel very excited, in fact I’m so enthusiastic I’m going to do a little experiment. As 75% of the botanicals are foraged locally, I had heard this local gin is a good cure for hay fever so a little snifter once a day will do me good. Although I don’t personally suffer with hay fever but hey-ho best keep it at bay :))
Photograph of Dylanwad Team and Danny Cameron by Danny Cameron
Emma Williams
Gwin Dylanwad Wine
23rd May 2018
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