Whisky is the spirit most commonly thought of when talking about maturing a spirit, but cask aging is not just for whisky. There is a growing interest in the possibilities of cask-aged gin. The question is how to balance the qualities of the cask with the gin you are aging within it.

As with whisky, finding the right cask is key. The previous content of the barrel is crucial. This is what will bring flavour and complexity to the gin that is to be cask-aged, without overwhelming it. It can be a labour of love to identify a cask that will do the job. Some distilleries choose virgin oak casks. Some use ex-whisky casks. Limbeck, the cask-aged gin from our Eccentric Spirit range, is aged in French Bourbon casks, seasoned with pinot noir from our friends at White Castle Vineyard near Abergavenny.

For us, and our Signature Style, the right cask (well, casks) are those that have previously held Palo Cortado sherry. Palo Cortado is often referred to as a ‘happy accident’ in the sherry world. Somewhere between a fino and an amontillado, its origins lie in an anomaly in fino production. Some of the Spanish bodegas that produce Palo Cortado can point to the conditions that are conducive it coming into being. We prefer the romance of discovery – of the unexpected creation of something deliciously perfect.

Sourced direct from the bodega, the casks lend notes of almonds, dried stone fruit and wood spice to the gin, perfectly complementing the underlying warmth of the original botanical profile of our award-winning Signature Style gin. The cask also lends a beautiful bronze colouration to the spirit.

We were able to secure 4 Palo Cortado casks which means there’s a finite number of bottles available. We will release another edition of Palo Cortado cask-aged gin in a few months, so if you can’t get your hands on one this time round, you won’t have too long to wait!

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