Ginepraio
The Estate
Ginepraio is an Organic London Dry Gin with a Tuscan accent. Born from a partnership between Levante Spirits and Deta Distilleries. It is created using a copper discontinuous alembic still, affectionately nicknamed Lapo. When choosing the name the team was inspired by the old saying “cacciarsi in un ginepraio” – to get stuck in a mess – (the dictionary definition is also printed on the label), an informal way to describe a sticky situation from which it is difficult to get out. The same situation in which they found ourselves during the selection of the raw ingredients, all strictly certified, Tuscan, and organic. Starting from the alcohol base that comes from wheat grown in the Mugello area; the seven botanicals, including juniper, dog-rose and helichrysum, come from Maremma, Val D’Orcia and the Chianti area.
Ginepraio is a strong distinctive gin, a child of its land, distilled in Barberino Val D’Elsa. To create it the Master Distiller was aided by Enzo (one of the two partners of Levante Spirits), a Tuscan oenologist and owner of a winery in Montepulciano that has had an organic certification since 1990. A gin with traits inspired by the world of wine and produced for gin aficionados. Ginepraio can be used in any gin-based cocktail. In our opinion it really shines in Martini and Negroni (a timeless classic drink that pays tribute to its Florentine inventor, Count Negroni). It is a gin that aspires to becoming a point of reference for an educated and demanding clientele that appreciates good quality drinks and local products.
The Gin
Ginepraio has an alcohol base that is infused separately by 7 local botanicals, in particular juniper, dog-rose and helichrysum (a wild plant found on the Tyrrhenian side of Italy and in Sardinia). Infusion time ranges from 7 to 10 days; it is then combined and distilled by Lapo, our alembic still, and left to steep in the dark for 10 days before bottling.
The spirit, upon visual examination, is as clear as any London Dry Gin but on the nose it is clearly handcrafted because of the bold scent of wild juniper prevails among the other botanicals. The dog-rose fragrance can be sensed later on. The juniper stands out on the palate; next, alongside the rose, you can appreciated the typical note of balsamic helichrysum for a lingering finish with slight citrusy hints.
Ginepraio Navy Strenght rest for few month in Cocciopesto jars of 370 liters. Cocciopesto is an ancient material used by Romans in buildings, when a waterproof material was needed. In those months the jar’s micro-oxygenation give to the spirit a superior nose complexity and a perfect balance of the botanicals, an explosion of scents, the first taste have the same complexity of Ginepraio London Dry Gin and a very long finish. The label present the year of distillation, to enphasize the differnces of year and aging.
Old Sailor Coffee
Old Sailor Coffee is the spirit of the sea in a bottle. First blended on fishing boats, it can also reinvigorate you on dry land thanks to the energy of the rum and mettle of the coffee. Ideal after a meal, in social settings and mixed in cocktails. You can drink it hot or cold: if you follow tradition and drink it hot the accent will be on the rum, while the anise and coffee come later; if you prefer it cold, get ready to enjoy a perfect balance of fragrances. Either way, Old Sailor Coffee will inebriate your palate with its spirit.
The Old Sailor Coffee recipe was first concocted at sea: a hundred years ago, the mid-Adriatic fishermen used to warm themselves in cold weather by drinking hot coffee mixed with rum and distilled anise. A past that is still alive in our label, illustrated by the tattoo artist Stizzo and inspired by a 1930 picture of a sailor. The company has revisited the recipe and gave the bottle a soul to offer you the pleasure of an old sea story.