Arduenna
Organic
Gin
Today, I test an organic
gin made in homage to the Belgian Ardennes. The Ardennes is obviously a sacred
place for our Celtic ancestors but also huge forests. The deciduous stands
(53%) such as oak, ash, maple, cherry, elm, birch, hornbeam, and softwoods
(47%) such as spruce, Douglas and pine. However, significant work has been
undertaken for several decades to restore the original hardwood forest.
That's why Martin
& François decided to make a gin in this region and to name it Arduenna.
Usually written Arduenna, Ardwenna is the Gallic name of the Ardennes
(confirmed by Julius Caesar), a region of Belgium, France, Luxembourg and
Germany.
Etymologically,
the prefix "ard" means: hard, strong, ard(u), and the suffix Enna
(Aina, Ana, Haina, Dwanna or Dana) is the name of the Mother Goddess.
This goddess Dana
is more than certainly pre-Celtic, she dates from the night of times. She is a
terrestrial and underground Goddess, she is often represented in black, because
this color comes from the dark color of the caves which sheltered her effigies.
In Celtic
mythology, Arduinna, Arduena, Arduenna, or Ardoina is a Gallic goddess of the
hunt and the forest. She is often represented riding a boar. She was also
represented armed with a cuirass or corselet, a bow in her hand, and
accompanied by a dog. She corresponds to the Roman goddess Diana. From her name
derives the name of the forest massif of the Ardennes, whose symbol is also the
boar as well as for the glorious regiment of the Ardennes Hunters
The two friends,
who are hedonists at heart, are going to join forces with an old distillery in
the region of Raeren (if you know what I mean, right? Come on, they make their
own gin but also the famous strawberry gin from Wépion or the one from the most
beautiful city in Belgium. Still not? Last clue a distillery of 1836 and which
begins with Ra, the god of the sun. Yes bingo, it is indeed Radermacher) to
make a 100% organic gin that reminds the Ardennes.
The bottle is
opaque and emerald green, it is decorated with a branch of fir on which we find
in gold letter the name of the beverage. Underneath, we can also read that it
is an organic gin, made in Belgium, and that it has 40% Alc.
At the back of
this one I learn that the liquid has undergone 6 distillations; in fact it is distilled
in a still with a rectifying column with 6 trays. This process guarantees a
first quality alcohol but also to remove a maximum of the flavors of the ingredients
which enter in its preparation.
I uncork the
bottle and am literally immersed in a vat of high intensity juniper.
I pour a dose of
the precious alcohol in the glass provided for this purpose, and yes in tasting
we are far from the adage: What does the bottle matter, as long as we have the
drunkenness.
I have a
beautiful golden and crystalline liquid; to the nose I am always in my juniper
accompanied by white fleshy fruit.
Which will give
a long sweet finish but not suitable with the cigar and yet I took a powerful
and strong cigar on purpose.
In conclusion:
there is no need to say that this gin is to be classified in the good gins
because we find obviously the pronounced taste of juniper, already that alone I
say bravo.
Then the mixture
of pine sap, elderberry and mirabelle plum is a great success.
The only negative
side, but just because it is not my taste, too much presence of vanilla.
I invite you to
make your own discovery and to give me an appreciation on your tasting under
this article.
Price at the time
of writing: ± 40 euros