THE MOST IMPORTANT PART

INGREDIENTS, PRODUCTION, AND STORAGE

For our neeka PREMIUM DRY GIN, we use only fresh, carefully selected botanicals of the highest quality. For our distillates, we keep only the aromatic heart after a quick first treatment. This is obtained in a careful firing process in our copper kettle.  Once it has reached optimum maturity, we add excellent  Black Forest mountain spring water to reach the highest quality. 

Afterwards, our neeka PREMIUM DRY GIN leaves our house in hand-selected ceramic stoneware bottles.

THE GIN STORY

Gin – origin and history

Gin has its origin in the middle of the 17th century. At that time juniper schnapps was still called "Genever".
(descending from the Dutch "Jenever", which means juniper).

Originally, the German physician Franz de le Boe wanted to develop a medicine against stomach and kidney diseases such as colic or kidney stones. The distillate quickly gained popularity among patients and became known beyond the city limits.

Commercial production began as a result of the increasing demand. 

During the Dutch-Spanish war from 1568 to 1648, which was supported by England, genever arrived in Great Britain.  
There it was given the name "gin". 

At the end of the 17th century, higher taxes were introduced in Great Britain on the import of German, French, and Spanish wines and spirits.  
This promoted the domestic production of grain and grain brandy, and gin became the cheapest alcoholic drink thanks to the high taxes on beer and wine.  Even the poorer sections of the population could afford it.

When Queen Anne inherited the crown in 1702, she allowed every Englishman to produce gin. This led to every fourth household in London producing or selling gin around 1720. The market was flooded with products of inferior quality, and drunkenness became a problem in the streets of London.

The first "Gin Act" was passed in 1736. This prohibited the production & sale of small quantities of gin without a license. This led to the fact that only wealthier Englishmen could afford gin. Nevertheless, many people continued to distill without a license, and so it was decided in the "Tippling Act" in 1751 that the manufacturers were no longer allowed to sell gin to end consumers.

This state control had an effect. The "gin hysteria" was contained, and the products regained their quality. Gin became a high-grade distillate, which was further refined and perfected.  

In the middle of the 18th century, crop failures caused grain prices to rise so that gin production declined and gin consumption also fell significantly.

Today, gin is a high-quality spirit, which is particularly appreciated for its versatility. Hardly any other distilled spirit can enhance the taste of other cocktail ingredients better than gin, making it one of the most important drinks in any cocktail bar.

Botanicals lend each gin a distinctive quality

What are botanicals? These are the aromas that are added to the gin to give it its unique nuances. You can use berries, spices, herbs, barks, and much more. 
Some botanicals are also said to have a medicinal effect. The juniper berry is the only ingredient that is required in every gin. All other ingredients can be combined individually.

The most commonly used botanicals are coriander seeds, lemon peels, and orange peels.

On average, most gins are made from 6-10 botanicals. However, there is a trend to use more and more botanicals.

With neeka, we counteract this trend and have used only 5 botanicals. Thus we achieve a focus in taste on the top note, the mandarin, which makes our gin so fruity and fresh.

From "Dry Gin" to "Sloe Gin" – What's the difference?

There are many different types of gin. However, they all have the basic production in common. Gin is a clear brandy, which is produced with high-proof neutral alcohol as a base and is personalized with juniper, as well as further herbs and spices.

DRY GIN
Dry gin is dry and unsweetened. The focus of this gin is a dominant juniper note, which is complemented by bitter elements such as citrus notes.

NEW WESTERN DRY GIN
The New Western Dry Gin is a new interpretation of the classic dry gin that has emerged in the last decade. Here the juniper note moves into the background and leaves the top note to another botanical. Because of its balanced composition, New Western Dry Gin is particularly suitable for cocktails, but can also be enjoyed pure.

LONDON DRY GIN
London Dry Gin is not necessarily from London, contrary to the name. Rather, the name refers to the special manufacturing process. With this gin, the ingredients are not added one after the other, but at the same time to the neutral alcohol before it is subjected to a new distillation. Sugar may only be added in small quantities. The London Dry Gin is characterized by a top note of juniper and other fine spicy aromas.

PLYMOUTH GIN
Plymouth Gin is a legally protected indication of origin and may only be distilled within the city limits. It is full-bodied and has an earthy note. Juniper is less dominant here, instead, Plymouth Gin is rather fruity-sweet and very aromatic.

OLD TOM GIN
Old Tom Gin dates back to the 18th & 19th centuries and embodies the original form of gin. By adding sugar later in the distillation process, it is sweeter and more full-bodied than London Dry Gin. Old Tom Gin is also very suitable for mixing cocktails and is therefore very popular in the bar scene.

GENEVER

Genever is mainly produced in Holland. A few distilleries are also located in Belgium and Germany. Genever is sweet and aromatic. Traditionally produced Genever has a distinctive malt note.

SLOE GIN
Sloe Gin is not gin in the conventional sense, but rather a liqueur. It is sweet and fruity and only has an alcohol content of 15-30% by volume, which does not meet the requirements of a "real" gin. Sloe Gin is named after the blackthorn berry, which is also called sloe. Due to its mild sweetness, it is ideal for making cocktails.