ELLC unveils Moscatel cask-aged gin

by Owen Bellwood

East London Liquor Company (ELLC) has unveiled the latest bottling in its barrel-aged gin programme, which has been matured in ex-Moscatel casks.

ELLC matured its signature London Dry Gin, which is made with botanicals including lemon and grapefruit peel, coriander, angelica root and juniper, for 19 months in casks that formerly held Moscatel wine. The new gin is said to have “intriguing aromas” created by the mix of flavours developed between the botanicals and the cask. The Moscatel-aged gin has aromas of orange blossom, milk chocolate, cola nut, prunes, allspice, fresh-cut hay and beeswax. Meanwhile, the palate is described as having “notes of clove and allspice, which give way to a viscosity of honey, boiled candies and chocolate, and ending with a greenness of underripe pineapple”. Bottled at 48.5% abv, just 330 700ml bottles of the barrel-aged gin will be available to buy from 29 March. This is the first barrel-aged gin released by ELLC in 2019 and is part of its on-going barrel-aged gin programme. Throughout the year, the distillery will release various aged expressions to highlight the range of casks in its maturation room. Last year, the London-based distillery launched its inaugural rye – the first London-distilled whisky available to taste in more than 100 years.