Reisetbauer Blue Gin Austrian Vintage

Hans Reisetbauer founded his distillery in Axberg, Upper Austria, in 1995, and the operation runs on its own organically farmed fields, where the raw materials are grown and harvested. Blue Gin begins with the Mulan wheat variety, grown specially for it, distilled gently in the pot still to keep the fine aromatics intact. The vintage idea is the heart of it: the spirit is made only once a year, between February and May, with the year of distillation marked on the bottle, which makes each release finite and unrepeatable. It was named best gin in Austria in the 2017/2018 Falstaff Bar & Spirits Guide.

The nose is fresh and juniper-forward. The palate is elegant and full of finesse, lemon brightness running through a gentle spice, and the finish lingers long. Pour it over ice with a dry tonic and a twist of lemon.