Hate Gin? You'll Love This

Ferdinand’s Riesling-infused Saar Dry Gin is best drunk on its own.

- Hannah Choo

GERMANY IS THAT overachieving friend we all know. It’s determined to do a lot of things well, whether it’s something as complicated as transport or as simple as a pretzel. It’s also had an explosion of small and innovative distilleries producing spectacular gin.

German gin is typically synonymous with Monkey 47, a Black Forest signature that’s distilled with spring water, deliciously smooth and perfect on its own. Few can compare, but Ferdinand’s Saar Dry Gin could change all that. Straying far from the classic London dry style that’s so overwhelming with juniper, Ferdinand’s is a Riesling-infused gin that will convert haters into lovers.

Produced in Mosel in a modest region called Saar, which is famous for its Riesling, the gin is sweet, soft and floral. Moving away from loud juniper flavours, it focuses instead on the ensemble of 30 organic local botanicals and the shot of Riesling to produce gin with a sense of place. Balancing so many botanicals without drowning each ingredient can be a challenge, but that’s nothing to co-founder and master distiller Andreas Vallendar, who comes from a family that’s been distilling spirits since 1824.