Hidden Curiosities Aranami Strength Gin

Emma, aka Gin Monkey, is a widely respected expert on the subject of white spirits. A regular judge in spirits competitions such as IWSC and The World Gin Awards, Emma was named Icons of Gin Communicator of the Year 2022.

This particular gin combines Japanese botanicals with the more traditional botanicals usually found in gin to great effect. You’ll find it bursting with citrus on the nose and front of the palate thanks to yuzu and kabosu. Oily juniper combines well with other classic gin botanicals (angelica, orris, coriander) to form a solid base on the palate, which is layered with subtle fruit notes from kumquat, umeboshi (plum), sansho pepper adding a herbal note and a flavour similar to Sichuan peppercorns, shiso leaf and kabosu. There’s a pleasant salinity towards the finish too which lingers well on the palate, coming from salted cherry blossom which is added post-distillation. Whilst a lineup of 20 botanicals has the potential to lead to a gin that’s a little hectic around your palate, here they play well alongside each other, creating a beautifully balanced and complex gin with a great flavour progression and a ‘story’ that is told as you sip.

This gin is for those looking to elevate their Negroni game and play around with different combinations of the gin and vermouth (if you ask me the Campari is unswitchable). The citrus notes in the Aranami Strength alongside a touch of spice and the lingering salinity make it an excellent gin to use, just beware that the higher ABV will make it a boozier cocktail overall!

Navy Strength gins (those bottled at over 57% ABV) are not for the faint-hearted due to the higher alcohol content and need careful consideration when mixing. However, they can punch through pretty much any other cocktail ingredient and make sure that juniper is evident throughout your mixed drink, something any gin fan will appreciate. This particular Navy Strength gin is powerful, yet beautifully crafted to result in a silky smooth experience - super impressive!

Whilst this gin makes an excellent Negroni, it’s also well at home in a G&T or any classic cocktail. You’ll find the oily juniper profile more pronounced in your cocktails as a result (plus they’ll be a little more boozy from the higher ABV).

Neat: To experience the full botanical spectrum and flavour journey sip at room temperature, then add a couple of ice cubes to enjoy longer term.

G&T, Highballs and built drinks: Add as much good quality ice as you can fit in the glass, floating ice is the enemy of the Highball!

Shaken cocktails (including the Aviation listed below): Add plenty of good quality ice in the shaker. Use a fine strainer to remove shards of ice as you strain into your serving glass.

Negronis are classically served in a rocks glass, and rightly so. A Highball would be too large (though you could always add a little soda water to turn it into a longer drink) and a Martini glass means there’s no ice to keep the cocktail chilled and add a little dilution as you sip. If you desperately want to serve it up (i.e in a Martini glass with no ice) then stir over ice before straining it into a chilled glass to add the dilution up front and keep the drink cold for as long as possible, though it’s probably best enjoyed in as few sips as possible.

Negronis in general are the perfect pre-dinner choice. The bitterness of the Campari stimulates your palate and gets the digestive juices flowing. As for particular types of food, I feel the best choice is to stick with Italy and pair with some fresh tomato bruschetta, or perhaps some cheesy arancini.