Citadelle Gin (100cl , 44%)

A premium gin, Citadelle was originally developed in a Dunkirk distillery in the late 18th Century, and at the time Dunkirk was one of the earliest European ports for explorers of the Orient, who brought back herbs and spices from the Far East. The result is a fabulous gin made with 19 different botanicals including Moroccan Coriander, French Juniper, Mexican Orange Peel and Chinese Liquorice…

Citadelle Gin is half revival, half new innovation: the revival is based on one the first gin produced in France at the “Citadelle.” The innovation is in the where and the how.

Maison Ferrand Distillery and the SW corner of France is best known for its Cognac. But perhaps the boldest part was the revelation that during the offseason when they legally couldn’t distill Cognac, they could distill gin. The government finally relented in ’95, and so began the magic of open flames and pot stills: Citadelle Gin was thusly born.

Tasting Notes

On the nose, hints of violet, sweet orange, coriander and floral brightness. Leans slightly citrus, but there’s another side here as well, with hints of a spicy/floral deeper notes: nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom. Nice and contemporary in character.

The taste begins quietly until the aromatics re-enter the nose. The middle begins with fresh bright juniper, turning more crisp and bold. The finish is what sets Citadelle Gin apart from its peers: really bright, a touch sweet and strongly aromatic: cardamom, angelica, nutmeg, a wide array of baking spices which melds into a more sharp licorice and fennel on the finish. Generally spice forward and slightly contemporary with a juniper base.

Nice, but for those of you keeping a historical perspective, this would have been way out there back in 1995. Nowadays we take for granted that a gin can go this direction. But this would have been really unlike nearly anything on an English or American gin shelf at the time. Citadelle Gin and Bombay are probably on the short list of those that helped bring gin out of its late 80’s dark ages.

Overall, Citadelle Gin

I like a lot of what I tasted in Citadelle Gin. It works really nice on its own, in martinis, or adding complimentary notes to floral cocktails. It does get lost in some drinks though. That being said, fans of the classic style who don’t mind some spice in their finish will likely find a lot of like here. Fans of the contemporary style who like more juniper on their palate will find things to like here as well. It’s a good middle-ground gin that takes cues from both styles, and ultimately, still produces a good gin that is both memorable and well priced.