Review

Foxdenton Raspberry Gin

Foxdenton Estate Company Ltd., Winslow, Buckinghamshire (made by Thames Distillers Ltd., Clapham, London), England, UK.

Foxdenton Estate.

Estate of Foxdenton based in Lancashire, which had been in the family since 1367. In 1923 the Foxdenton Estate was leased to the local council who permitted public access to the grounds. In 1960 the house itself was sold to the local council and is now a tourist attraction. The business was taken over by his son Alexander Radclyffe and in 2001 his son the present owner, Nicholas Radclyffe, inherited the family business.

With a love of shooting and drinking, Nick thought the fruit liqueurs too sweet whilst at shooting events and wondered if he could produce his own. Making them at home he turned up at shooting days with his and found people really liked them. This spurred him on and he set up a small-scale production of these fruit liqueurs, using Gin as the base spirit, all made to traditional English recipes. Today they even have their own Gin, Foxdenton 48, sold by it self but also used as the base for their fruit liqueurs.

Their Gins are made by Thames Distillers, run by Charles Maxwell who is the 8th generation of the family (founders of the Finsbury Distillery) who have been producing Gin since 1700 – making them the oldest unbroken lineage in Gin distillation.

The raspberries are steeped for 6-8 weeks in Foxdenton Gin, with a little sugar - less than any of their other flavoured Gins and yet comes out as their sweetest due to the natural sugar in the fruit! Small quantities are produced seasonally and thus it may not always be readily available.

Foxdenton introduced a new look for their spirits in early 2013. The old traditional style whisky bottles were replaced with clear squat cylindrical bottles, the same as used for Hayman’s Family Reserve Gin. The label is a large white one with black and burgundy colored writing and line images, including their logo (a bull and crown) and Foxdenton Hall. The Gin has a fabulous color, a light luminous red, which looks artificial but it is all natural.

Flavored Gin – Raspberry.

21.5% (43 Proof).

$$$ - $$$$. Not available in the USA. Try Master of Malt in the UK and expect to pay an additional 65% for shipping.

7 organic botanicals are used including: angelica root, coriander seeds, juniper berries, lemon peel, lime flower oil, orris root and raspberries.

Named after the family’s ancestral home, the Foxdenton Estate, and the key botanical flavor.

On the nose is raspberry with faint juniper. On the palate this sweet spirit has a strong fruity raspberry flavor with a faint juniper (Gin) in the background. In the close the raspberry flavor continues with just a hint of dry juniper (Gin) and the faintest of peppery spice in the finish.

Drink neat as a winter warmer or take as a long cool refreshing drink by mixing with soda water, tonic water, lemonade or sparkling wine. Remember to experiment and use it to drizzle over dessert dishes, such as vanilla ice cream etc. This is fruitier and sweeter than any of Foxdenton’s other Gin liqueurs and because of this, lovers of these other drinks may be disappointed with this one. However, if you like sweet raspberries you will love this, and many do! Our favorite drink, as recommended by Foxdenton is the “Black Eye”: mix equal amounts of Raspberry Gin and Blackcurrant Gin (Foxdenton Blackjack), add ice and top up with Tonic water or Lemonade.

Unknown.