Georgian Bay Eco-Friendly Gin (40%)

Part of this gin’s eco-friendliness is its paper bottle, which the distillery claims is five times lighter than glass and has a carbon footprint up to six times lower than that of conventionally packaged spirits. All of which should be enough to make any eco-aware person happy.

When I first encountered this Georgian Bay Gin, reviewing it for the just-released Canada’s Best Bars supplement to Canada’s 100 Best magazine, it was the first paper bottle I had seen, although I’d read about others both on the market and in development. Since then, however, a few more have popped up around Canada, including a pair of wines from Frisky Beaver and another two from Magnotta Wines under their Ugly Duck label, all of which lead me to question whether paper wine bottles necessarily need to bear questionable names.

The drawback to all this paper, however, is its opacity, which in the case of wine is probably not too big a deal, but with spirits prevents the drinker from knowing exactly how much is left inside. This is not unique to paper bottles, of course – I’m looking at you Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey! – but the unusually light bottle and plastic liner within combine to make difficult even crafting a rough estimation of the amount remaining.

But enough about the bottle, let’s see what the gin inside is like.

As the bottle states that this gin is flavoured with juniper, coriander, lemon and orange peel, and angelica root, it comes as no great surprise that citrus notes dominate the nose, in particular lemon, in what is decidedly a character more fresh and botanical than junipery and London Dry. Which is not to say there is an absence of juniper, but it is a gentle, perfumey, herbal juniper rather than the more assertive, peppery form you’d find in a Beefeater or Tanqueray.

This soft and citrus-herbaceous character continues in the body, with a palate entry that is lightly sweet, orangey with lemon notes in the background, and just a bit herbal, with maybe even a ouch of mint. On the mid-palate, there is significantly greater evidence of the coriander and juniper, herbal at first, but more peppery as the taste progresses, with lemon overtaking the orange as a main flavour point, finishing dry and peppery.

Overall, this is a gin that needs be treated carefully, as it would be lost in a G&T or other drink with big flavours, but is quite delightful all on its own or in a dry martini. Over ice with a few drops of orange bitters is another delightful way to go.

82 ($40)