Last night, I was one of the first people invited to the first official UK tasting of Villa Ascenti Gin at Fiume Restaurant, next to the Battersea Power Station.
We were so lucky to have incredible weather and, even luckier, to have Jack Sotti, Diageo Reserve GB Brand Ambassador, introducing us to this super premium gin in the Diageo Portfolio. He recounted tales of Master Distiller Lorenzo Rosso working tirelessly with the local farmers, who are producing the plentiful aromatics which are essential to Villa Ascenti Gin. What was the real surprise for me was that the base spirit was made from local Moscato grapes, not grain. The other local botanicals used are mint, thyme and sage, which are all vacuum distilled separately before adding them in. The juniper is Tuscan and the lemons Sicilian – another node to the Italian “spirit” of this gin. A few other botanicals finish off the list, leaving the gin with subtle juniper flavor and packed with mint and thyme.
Lorenzo provided these tasting notes, “On the nose, the mint and thyme are vibrant and refreshing alongside the spice of the Tuscan juniper berries, whilst on the palate, the Moscato grapes really come to life. Enhanced through copper distillation, the smooth, fruity flavour of this distillate rounds off zesty juniper notes to create a velvety, slightly sweet gin.” Jack’s preferred serve was a jug, not a glass, of the Villa Ascenti Classico, the recipe you can find here, This refreshing cocktail was meant to be shared and sharing it at Terraza Villa Ascenti at Fiume restaurant on the banks of the Thames on a gorgeous evening is the perfect way! (Also here is Jack’s recipe for the Villa Ascenti G&T.)