Distillers in York claim they’ve found the true spirit of Christmas – a gin inspired by festive favourite, the Terry’s Chocolate Orange.
The small, sustainable York Gin distillery that runs on 100% renewable electricity from sun, sea and wind is working around the clock in a desperate attempt to satisfy demand for their Christmas gin.
The chocolate and orange gin was their best seller for the whole of 2020 – despite only being on sale from 1 November last year.
Since then, the gin has won Gold at the 2021 New York International Spirits Competition so the company is expecting a mad rush on it this year.
The Terry’s Chocolate Orange was invented in York in 1932 and made in the city for decades. And York Gin make their unsweetened dry gin only two miles from the old Terry’s factory.
Customers can get the gin in large 70cl bottles (which can be engraved with a unique personal message of up to 12 words.) The engraving service is available for their full range of six dry gins.
This Christmas gin is also available in the miniature boxed ‘Flavours of York’ triple gift set along with their Roman Fruit and Grey Lady gins – the latter inspired by one of York’s most famous ghosts.
It’s also in their six-bottle miniature gift set.
Daily and Sunday Telegraph drinks writer Susy Atkins says the gin is ‘exquisite in an espresso martini’.
It’s available online including at Master of Malt, Amazon and with free delivery on orders over £30 from the York Gin online Christmas Guide yorkgin.com/christmas – and at the York Gin shop and other retailers.
Co-founder and Master Distiller Harry Cooke who developed the recipe said it took many attempts to get the balance of the chocolate and orange and the original nine botanicals absolutely right.
He said: ‘We’ve had to alter our distilling technique for this gin. For the orange flavour, we add whole oranges into the mix of botanicals. The alcohol is heated up and the vapour is infused by all these botanicals. But we add the cocoa nibs into the alcohol itself in a technique called maceration. This brings out the chocolate flavour much more successfully than putting the nibs in the basket along with the other botanicals.
‘The result is rich and luxurious chocolate with distinct but more subtle zesty orange notes. These combine with the perfect blend of nine original botanicals that win our gins gold medals in international competitions.’
Festive serves
York Gin Chocolate & Orange Espresso Martini
25ml York Gin Chocolate & Orange
15ml Tia Maria
10ml Cointreau
Shot of espresso
All shaken in a Boston shaker with ice (to cool the coffee)
Strain into a Martini glass
Add a dusting of chocolate
York Gin Chocolate & Orange Snowball
25ml York Gin Chocolate & Orange
35ml Advocaat
Soda
Serve over ice topped with soda.
Garnish with crumbled chocolate.
York Gin can be purchased from Amazon UK now for £34.38 by clicking here.
