Sipsmith has managed to revive history with its new Origin 1639 Gin, a spirit that apparently uses a recipe hailing from the 1600s!

Said recipe was found in a manual dating back to 1639, to be specific. The Distiller of London held the instructions needed to make what can be considered the forefather of modern gin.

It is also said to prove that gin originated in England instead Holland as it is commonly believed.

Sipsmith Master Distiller Jared Brown and his wife, drinks historian Anistatia Miller, discovered the slim volume and deciphered 34 approved formulas and 16 variations, whittling down the spirits produced by trial and error to find the perfect spirit. It was even reported that the formulas were written in code to ‘protect their mysteries’.

One of these secret recipes turned out to yield favorable results. What they soon had was a balanced spirit of juniper berry, citrus and spice that is said to be the closest ancestor of a London Dry Gin found in print.

The spirit is infused with raspberries and strawberries, whereby it is then rested in oak barrels. The gin is also made with traditional 17th-century production methods.

The result is reportedly a juniper-forward gin with bright berry notes and a ‘spiced backbone’.

At 42% ABV, the Origin 1639 has a suggested retail price of USD$50. 

It is available directly from the producer and in the UK in selected stores nationwide, including Harvey Nichols, John Lewis, Waitrose and Majestic.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team