Cadenhead's Old Raj Gin
Cadenhead's Old Raj GinAt Cadenhead’s, they are best known for their Whisky and our Rum, however they have been offering our Old Raj Gin since 1972. They have been bottling Gin since way before Gin was cool and we will continue to bottle it long after it stops being fashionable – not that they see that happening for a long time. Unlike many new Gins, they are an Independent bottler so it makes sense that we also are an Independent bottler of Gin. The Gin is made for us to our recipe and then shipped to Campbeltown where they reduce the ABV and then add saffron prior to bottling. Old Raj is a more traditional style of Gin being very much juniper lead, unlike many gins that are being released today that are verging much more on flavored vodka rather than Gin – however, that is probably an argument for another day! The botanicals used in Old Raj are as below:
They then bottle at two different strengths – 46% and 55% ABV. Even though both gins are exactly the same apart from the the addition of 9% more water in the 46% version they do taste different. The 46% is more expressive on the nose and slightly more refreshing on the palate where as the 55% has a slightly more closed nose but then is bigger on the taste, without having any form of alcohol burn, but adds a bigger mouth feel as it is much creamier and also has a more pronounced saffron element. |