Sample 3 cl Fly Finest Quality Alpine Gin 40%

The mountains behind this bottle are not just a picture on the label. FLY is distilled in Switzerland, run through the still again and again with no shortcuts, until no sharp edges are left. No gimmicks, no fashionable botanicals. Three centilitres to decide whether it is your style.

The expert's description

Sample 3 cl Fly Finest Quality Alpine Gin 40% is a Swiss Alpine Gin distilled several times with classic gin botanicals and bottled at 40%.

Behind FLY stands Fire & Ice Beverages AG in Switzerland. The company makes a point of holding to Swiss standards without abbreviations, and the gin is built the same way: it is distilled several times, precisely to make the spirit as supple as possible and let the aromas of the classic botanicals come through cleanly.

Alpine Gin is not a protected term in law. It is a place name more than a recipe, pointing to gin from the Alpine countries, where soft mountain water and a dry, herbal style are the shared traits. FLY stays on that line. No unusual ingredient has been chased down; instead the work has gone into juniper, citrus and root spice in a clear, balanced shape.

Forty per cent sits where the gin can carry a glass of tonic water without thinning out, and where it can also be chilled down into a dry Martini. This 3 cl bottling is meant to give an impression of the Swiss style before anyone commits to a full bottle.

Tasting notes

Nose

Aromatic juniper stands at the front, clear and resinous. Behind it lie citrus oil and grated orange zest, and right at the bottom a trace of liquorice root that lends depth without sweetness.

Palate

Clean and dry. Juniper carries the middle, orange zest gives it width, and a light spice settles along the sides of the tongue. There are no edges and no burn, just an even, balanced passage across the mouth.

Finish

Dry and medium in length. The liquorice root stays behind as a faint sweetness in an otherwise entirely dry close, and the juniper lets go slowly.

Specifications

Name: Sample 3 cl Fly Finest Quality Alpine Gin 40%
Producer: Fire & Ice Beverages AG
Region/Country: Switzerland
Type: Alpine Gin
ABV: 40%
Size: 3 CL
Distillation method: Distilled several times
Edition: Finest Quality
Serving suggestion: With Tonic Water and lemon peel, or ice cold in a dry Martini

Flavour profile

Juniper-led · Citrus · Dry · Smooth · Lightly spiced

Did you know?

The brand is called FLY, but the company behind it is Fire & Ice Beverages AG. That name is nowhere on the front of the bottle, so most people only ever meet the three letters.

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Frequently asked questions about Sample 3 cl Fly Finest Quality Alpine Gin 40%

What is an Alpine Gin?

It is a term for gin from the Alpine countries, not a protected category. The word points to geography and to the style associated with it: soft water, dry herbal notes and a restrained approach rather than heavy flavouring. FLY is distilled in Switzerland.

What does distilling the gin several times achieve?

It makes the spirit smoother. Each pass strips out more of the heavier compounds, leaving a cleaner distillate in which the classic botanicals can stand out clearly. The trade-off is that the raw materials have to be assertive, or the result turns flat.

Is FLY a dry or a sweet gin?

Dry. Nothing is sweetened, and what little softness there is comes from the liquorice root. The profile is juniper-driven with citrus around it and belongs at the classic end of the gin spectrum.

How do you build a Martini with it?

Stir it, do not shake it. Use plenty of ice, a small measure of dry vermouth and let the gin be the lead, because this profile is built for exactly that. A lemon twist expressed over the glass pulls the citrus oil forward.

Which tonic works best?

A classic, dry indian tonic. The gin is balanced with no dominant single note, so a heavily flavoured tonic will take the drink over entirely. Keep the garnish simple with a strip of lemon peel.

Does 3 cl stretch to a Gin and Tonic?

Yes, 3 cl is exactly the usual measure for a Gin and Tonic. Poured into a tasting glass instead, the same amount gives two good goes with time to let the aroma open in between. Browse the full selection of Whisky Samples.