Who doesn’t like tea and jam? Gunpowder’s distinct tea flavor is a natural good pairing with fruit jams straight from your fridge.

Gin isn't just from England and the U.S. Distilleries all over the world produce versions that try to capture the character of where they're made. There are three main categories. Distilled gin is produced from a mash of grains in the same way that whiskey might be. Redistilled gin is a neutral grain spirit that has been distilled a second time. And compound gin is a neutral grain spirit that’s been infused with flavors (this is the least common style). While you can use nearly any botanical you can think of to flavor gin, juniper is the key ingredient. There are two ways to infuse the botanical flavors into gin—either by macerating them in the spirit, or suspending them in what is essentially a large tea bag above the spirit and infusing the gin with vapors. Then there are a few different styles of gin to consider. The “gunpowder” in the Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin name refers to Chinese gunpowder green tea, one of the four botanicals that are vapor-distilled into the gin (after it’s been pot-distilled with eight others). It might sound easy to get lost in a dozen botanicals, but the specific green tea Rigney chose for the gin lends a distinctive note to the final flavor, unique in the gin world, where juniper is more often primarily complemented by things like citrus, cucumber, and spice. And no, the tea has no ballistic uses; it’s called “gunpowder” because of the shape of the tea leaves, which are rolled into individual pellets for better preservation. 3. It’s Wildly Global and Extremely Local. Grapefruit is the most recommended garnish so if you are partial to that citrus, this is the gin for you. What type of Gin is Gunpowder?

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Grapefruit is so good with this gin, that it makes a Gin Paloma a must! We did a full recipe and video here: Gunpowder Paloma Recipe Gunpowder Gin and Juice A seasoned world traveler, Rigney might have settled his spirits venture anywhere on the map, but he chose Drumshanbo because the cozy Irish hamlet was the same town where his mom and dad first met — his dad, Seamus, was the auditor who took the train down from Dublin, and his mum Mary worked in the accounts department in the Arigna Mines in the 1950s. (Yes, if you fall in love in the less-than-Disney-perfect setting of a working coal mine, chances are it’s the real thing.) 8. You’re Also Supporting Small-Town Economic Recovery

Now that we have what we think are the best Irish gins out of the way, it’s time to see what else is on offer. From the West – Meadowsweet from Drumshanbo, Ireland, juniper berries from Macedonia, angelica root from Germany, coriander seed from Romania and orris root from Morocco.

If that seems like high praise— it indeed is. Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin is a delightful, well-balanced, but botanically loud contemporary style gin— that doesn’t forget its roots and the juniper. Today, gunpowder gin is made by distilling gin with a small amount of gunpowder tea. This gives the gin a smoky flavor, which is said to be reminiscent of gunpowder.

The combination of botanicals though somewhat eccentric is well balanced. The green tea is at the fore. Gunpowder Gin does justice to its namesake. However, where this really stands out for me is how it balances the botanicals. Enough juniper for classic gin fans, but also heavy on the citrus and herbs, without overpowering each other. Fans of citrus-forward gins like New Amsterdam are apt to find Gunpowder Gin a pleasant, if not one-note alternative. It has the herbal complexity of bathtub style gins like New Deal Gin No. 1, but also the balance of old school favorites like Gordon’s and Plymouth. Made on the 300 acre Echlinville Estate, the Jawbox Classic Dry Gin is situated on the historic Ards Peninsula near Belfast. For the final botanical bouquet, Rigney chose 12 botanicals, fruits, and spices, including the aforementioned green tea as well as ingredients like Moroccan orris root, Indian cardamom, and Macedonian juniper. Even with a mini-U.N. spice cabinet, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin throws in one more highly local ingredient: meadowsweet from the town of Drumshanbo itself. Meadowsweet lends a delicate floral sweetness to the overall bouquet, complementing the green tea notes. 4. The Drumshanbo Mascot is a Drinker, Too.There are some markets [for gin] that we’re not in yet but we’re looking at them in a very serious way,” he said. Bombay Sapphire tastes closer to a London Dry than Gunpowder. It is even more citrus forward with the lemon leading the way. Its nose is more floral and earthy than herbal. It has more heat in the finish with balanced citrus and spice.