Whitley Neill’s has pushed the boundaries again, infusing their award-winning Gin with rhubarb and ginger.
John James Whitley Neill comes from a family of eight generations of distillers, and he is a direct descendant of Thomas Greenall. If you are reading this from just about anywhere in the UK, you might instantly recognize that the Greenall name has been associated with distilling in England — Gin in particular — for 250 years. As a child, he happened upon a cache of bottles in his Grandmother’s storage, all full and labeled with the family name. This experience inspired him to take up the family tradition.
All Whitley Neill Spirits are distilled in a single, small-format, 100-year-old, copper-pot still — the oldest operating still in the UK. They shun the "continuous distillation" process that ramps up volume, choosing to start and finish one batch at a time.
Known for wild experimentation in Gin botanicals, Whitley Neill has developed a dozen unique combinations, each with its own distinct characteristics. Whitley Neill Rhubarb & Ginger Handcrafted Gin builds upon their rock-solid Gin foundation botanicals of juniper, coriander, cassia, orris root, angelica, liquorice, orange, lemon. Then, they add the flourish — in this case that means rhubarb and ginger for a spicy-tart accent. To our taste, it feels like a non-sweet Sloe Gin with a bit of ginger heat.
Smartass Corner:
Rhubarb is one of the most interesting of plants. It’s technically a vegetable that is shaped like celery. But it is most often associated with a tart, crisp flavor like a cross between lemon grass and strawberries.