Lady Trieu Gin is a Vietnamese gin brand that produces small-batch crafts gins aimed at showcasing the diverse flavours and botanicals of Vietnam. Consequently, all gins from this distillery are distilled from 100% Vietnamese grains and with 100% Vietnamese botanicals, with the sole exception being juniper berries that are imported into Saigon.

The gin itself is named after a well-known local historical figure called Lady Trieu, who was a female warrior who successfully led a rebellion against Chinese invaders in the 3rd century AD – and who now exists as an icon of strength, courage and independence in present-day Vietnam.

While it is the brand’s signature core expression, the Lady Trieu Contemporary Vietnam Gin is not the distillery’s first release. Prior to launching the Contemporary Vietnam Gin, Lady Trieu distillery had first debuted smaller batches of more experimental gins under its Lab Series. The Lab Series now consists of four gins, each showcasing the locality of different flora and fauna across regions in Vietnam:

• The Mekong Delta Dry consisting of kumquat, cassia and star anise
• The Sapa Citrus Tea Gin featuring oolong tea, green tea, citrus peel and buddha’s hand
• The Dalat Flowerbomb Gin featuring jasmine, chrysanthemum and lotus
• The Hoi An Spice Road Gin featuring ginger, cardamom, cassia and fennel seed.

The Lady Trieu Contemporary Vietnam Gin expression appears to be a culmination of all that experimentation that went behind making its four predecessors. This expression utilises a few botanicals from each of the four Lab Series botanical mixes, with the addition of hibiscus roselle as well. You could say it’s the liquid representation of the cultural and flavour diversity that exists in Vietnam.   

Lady Trieu Contempoary Vietnam Gin - Tasting Notes

Aroma: The aroma is very aromatic and fresh with bright citrusy notes of finger limes and lemon.

Taste: This was very smooth with a delightful creaminess. The citrus-forward notes I got on the nose extends into its taste, but the citrus flavour here evolves to take on richer notes of kumkuat and mandarin orange.

Finish: The finish is long, with a spiciness kicking in. Notes of cubeb (Java pepper) and fresh long red pepper linger.

In a Gin & Tonic:

The way in which the flavor of this gin was transformed when tonic was added was surprising! In a good way! I drank with this a Mediterranean tonic, which greatly enhanced the creaminess of the spirit. In a G&T, this spirit had a great body and developed a slightly syrupy citrus sweetness and carbonation that really reminded me of the 7-up soda! Very refreshing, with nice lime notes and sweetness of melted down caster sugar, complimented by a nice bite of sansho peppers at the end!  

My Thoughts:  

It may be named after an ass-kicking female warrior, but this gin is actually very, very friendly. It’s a refreshing expression with citrus-forward flavours complemented by only the mildest prickle of spiciness on the finish. Where it truly shines, however, is in a G&T, where it gains added creaminess and body for an even easier-going drinking experience.