Review

Batshit Mental Ideas
Negroni Aged Bathtub Gin

Master of Malt, (ATOM Supplies Ltd.) Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, UK.

Master of Malt.

ATOM Supplies Ltd. trading as Master of Malt, is one of the UK’s leading online liquor retailers. Established in 1985 they originally concentrated on Whisky but this soon grew to encompass a full range of spirits. Since the 2010’s they have undertaken joint projects to produce individual spirits, supported primarily by Ben Ellefsen, their Sales Director. Under his guidance, the success of Master of Malt own offerings have expanded to include a range of “Origin” Gins and the “Professor Cornelius Ampleforth” range of spirits.

“Batshit Mental Ideas” is a third range of spirits and described by MoM as “straight from the brain of a crazy person”. The thought behind this is: while they may seem mental ideas today, who knows what we may think tomorrow! This Negroni-Aged Gin was launched in the summer of 2013.

This uses the original Bathtub Gin (from the “Professor Cornelius Ampleforth” range of spirits) as the base for this variation. It is made from a high quality copper pot distillation to which the botanicals are added and left to infuse for around 24 hours. Normally, most Gins would be distilled another time following the infusion period. However this Gin is simply filtered and bottled straight from this cold compounding method, and is produced in small batches of 30 to 60 bottles at a time. This distillate is then aged for 3 months in small casks previously used to age Negroni cocktails.

This gold colored spirit is presented in a small clear bottle with rounded shoulders and a black wax cap. It has a large light-brown colored rectangular label with black colored hand-drawn images and text (in hand-written, typed and printed formats).

Barrel Aged Gin.

43.3% (87 Proof).

$$$$$$. Only available from Master of Malt in the UK and be prepared to add a further 40% for shipping if outside of the UK.

Made from the same 6 botanicals as their Bathtub Gin including: cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, juniper berries and orange peel.

Named after the range of spirits and the production method used to age the Gin.

Unfortunately we have yet to try this, but according to MoM it has all the attributes of spicy herbal Gin plus Sweet Vermouth and Campari from the cask aging, making a smooth, creamy and bittersweet offering. David T Smith has a good review of this Gin across at his website Summer Fruit Cup.

Unknown.