Gretchen Gin

Gretchen is a distilled dry gin from Alfred Schladerer, the long-established Black Forest fruit brandy house in Staufen im Breisgau. It is named in tribute to Alfred Schladerer's wife, Greta. Eighteen botanicals, including berries, blossoms and herbs, are distilled in the house's traditional stills. The gin is then rounded off with Schladerer's own quince brandy and fresh spruce shoots, a nod to the forests around the distillery.

In the glass it is dry and led by juniper, with zesty lemon, ginger, sage and coriander, a nutty touch of angelica and a subtle floral lift. The quince adds a natural fruitiness and the spruce a gentle resinous tartness, and the finish is long, dry and piney. At 44% ABV it has the weight for a classic dry Martini. For a long drink, pair it with a crisp Indian tonic and a slice of lemon or a sprig of rosemary.