CITADELLE RESERVE 44,7%
Barrel-ageing spirits is certainly nothing new. Unless you’re talking about gin. And if you happen to ask the staff of Citadelle, they will passionately explain that barrel ageing is what naturally happened to gin hundreds of years ago.
Since 2008, Citadelle has released a limited edition aged gin each year and has tinkered with the recipe ever so slightly, giving each vintage its own unique taste profile:
- In 2009, the goal was less wood flavour and more finesse. Citadelle Gin rested in oak casks that had a medium char for five months and produced a gin with subtle flavours of vanilla, flowers and cinnamon. Acclaimed spirits writer F. Paul Pacult named the 2009 Vintage one of the Top 50 Spirits of the Year.
- In 2010, Citadelle wanted to engineer the perfect ‘ageing’ gin with more flower and spices notes, so they produced a special batch of Citadelle with more violet, iris and grains of paradise. The gin was aged for six months in oak casks with a light char. This produced a gin with a perfect roundness, harmony and elegance.
- In 2011, Citadelle Gin Réserve was made with the same botanicals but distilled at a higher proof (44.7 % ABV).
- In 2012, Citadelle added three new botanicals – yuzu, génépi and bleuet (cornflower) – to the 19 botanicals already used to make Citadelle Gin – and aged the spirit for six months in oak cases with a light char.