Picking the right base spirit for gin is essential. It serves as the base on which the intricate aromas and essential oils from the botanicals are layered. Although grain or grape based spirits are neutral, distilling gin from cow’s whey as St. Duke’s does, adds distinct features that greatly influence the profile of the gin.

The following summarizes the whey base and its contributions to the profile of gin’s botanicals, especially the attributes and sensations.

1. The Velvety Smooth Mouthfeel

The texture of the spirit is the most direct and immediate contribution of the whey base.

Silky and Full Bodied: Whey based gin does not have the sharp and prickly texture that some grain based spirits do. Whey based gin enjoys a pronounced creaminess and is described as having a velvety or satin smooth mouthfeel.

A “Softer” Sip: The creaminess of the gin seems to persist and carry into the final spirit as a comforting coat and soft texture that enhances the sipping experience. It provides gin cocktails with a fuller and rounder body.

2. Rounding and Amplifying the Botanicals

Softening Juniper: All gin has to have juniper in it. Juniper’s dominant, piney notes are softened, rounded, and not masked. Unlike some London Dry style gins, the harsh edges are not present. The citrus and earthy notes of juniper are able to shine through, making for a pleasant experience.

Enhancing Citrus and Floral Notes: The polish of the spirit gives a perfect canvas for more subtle floral and citrus notes, which provides more freshness and brightness to the spirit. Citrus dessicated peels of lemon and orange have a stronger smell and taste, while floral notes of rose and lavender add to the brightness.

Vanilla and Sweetness: Whey-based spirits, even after distillation, have natural flavour characteristics of milk’s lactose and cream components. This can present itself a gentle confectionery warmth which offers a balance to more peaky spices like cinnamon and cardamom and suggest a whisper of vanilla or gentle sweetness.

The Clean Finish: The spirit, although of dairy origin, is the pinnacle of clean and refined spirits, a result of high-level distillation.

High Purity Base: Even though whey fermentation and distillation is a challenge, it results in ultra-pure ethanol. The ethanol base ingredient made for most gin is made as neutral as possible, so the gin botanicals can take center stage during the infusion process.

No Cereal/Earthy Notes: Most importantly, the whey base eliminates the unwanted earthy, bready, and residual notes that tend to come from grain bases, specifically rye and wheat. This allows the botanicals, including the remarkable and unique local ingredients added by St. Duke’s, to shine without competing.

The Dairy Difference means St. Duke's gin starts with a base spirit that is unpolluted, soft, and subtly rich in spirit. This unique texture allows the spirit's complexity to shine and showcases the remarkable clarity of the flavors.