Review: Windspiel Premium Dry Gin

As a greyhound owner, I was of course immediately interested in Windspiel Dry Gin. I bought a bottle online several years ago and was far from disappointed. Since then I try to always have a bottle at home despite that it´s hard to get it in Sweden.

Windspiel is the german word for “Greyhound” which is a category of races, with among others the big Greyhounds but also the small “Italian greyhounds”. Since I have an “Italian” at home, my little Ragazza, it’s no wonder I have some extra love for this gin with its beautiful name and with a greyhound on the label.

But you don’t need to love the dogs to fall for this gin, it´s actually really great!

This is a quality gin made by hand in small batches.

The company was founded in 2014 and are located in Duan, Germany. The base spirit is made of locally grown potatoes and they also produce a Premium Dry Gin Reserve (49.3%), Premium Sloe Gin, Barrel Aged Potato Vodka, Tonic Water and a Gin Trüffel.

The potatoes are grown in volcanic soil which together with juniper, lemon, ginger, coriander, lavender, cinnamon and a few secrets botanicals creates a unique character.

I asked the people behind Windspiel some questions and Judith Hallenbach told med the following.

What´s special with Windspiel Gin?

Our Gin is made from potatoes cultivated in rich volcanic soil on our own farm. Every harvest we distil them in a very special technique developed by our master distiller to ensure a particularly mild flavour.

Why the name Windspiel?

Our products are dedicated to Frederick the Great, who discovered the potato in Germany and his second great passion: the greyhound, or in German „Windspiel“.

How do you recommend people enjoy your gin?

We recommend our Premium Dry Gin on ice with our own Tonic Water and an orange zest.

You also produce a Reserve gin and a Sloe gin, can you tell us a little about them?

Premium Dry Gin Reserve

Stored in traditional oak barrels, under the watchful eyes of Windspiel’s Master Distiller, the reserved gin develops its special taste. The Windspiel Premium Dry Gin Reserve combines the flavours of juniper, coriander and lavender with a hint of wood, caramel and vanilla. The beautiful taste gets rounded out with notably mild potato alcohol, made from potatoes which are cultivated in rich volcanic soil.

Premium Sloe Gin

The finest hand-picked sloes from the Eifel give Windspiel Premium Sloe Gin its very special character. Macerated in Windspiel Premium Dry Gin with the addition of natural sloe juice, the result is a Sloe Gin with an intensive juniper character enhanced by the aromatic flavor of the sloes and perfected with floral citrus notes. The distinctive and delicately mild flavours of the potato alcohol complement this special gin.

Simply a perfect combination of potatoes, the known and awarded Windspiel Premium Dry Gin aromas and sloes – the ideal sundowner.

And you make your own Tonic Water, why did you choose to do that?

Because we wanted to provide a Tonic Water, that matches perfect to our Premium Dry Gin. We have been the first Gin producer, that provided Gin and matching Tonic in one package. It´s easier for customers because they don´t have to search much time to find a suitable Tonic Water.

Do you have any upcoming plans that you can share with us?

Currently we are widening our product portfolio. The next product we’re going to launch is a herb spirit.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Full bodied, rich with lots of juniper, some lavender, well balanced and rich with a quite flowery character.

Neat

Amazing good to drink neat, perhaps the best way to enjoy this fine gin. It´s really fresh and light despite the quite high alcohol content. First, I taste citrus and after that a distinct juniper character. A long aftertaste with hints of mint and licorice. It’s really well balanced, nothing that pops out too much and it keep a good taste from the first impression until the aftertaste eventually goes away.

Martini

Windspiel Dry Gin is an exquisite gin. It´s very enjoyable neat and works really well as Dry Martini, both Noilly Prat and Dolin. With Noilly Prat you get a really full-flavored drink where all tastes from the gin combines and enhances with Noilly´s characteristic vermouth taste. It´s close to competition for the attention but it marries and work out great.
With Dolin, which is a smoother vermouth, the gin takes a more dominant place. Dolin complement the gin and creates a more harmonically and balanced drink with most flavors coming from the gin.
My favorite combination, after some testing, was absolutely with Dolin. With 5:1, really cold and with a lemon zest you get a Martini with a strong, full-flavored and fresh taste. It has a good kick of alcohol without feeling raw and with a pleasant long aftertaste.
On my scale, a 10/10!

Gin and tonic

It’s easy to make a great G&T with a gin as good and complex as this one, just add some tonic, Fevertree or Windspiel´s own, lots of ice and a simple garnish like lemon zest or orange zest and you have an amazing Gin and Tonic.

The Take Home

A clear 5/5 starts in every way! Beautiful bottle, the best possible name, a handmade gin of the highest quality with amazing tastes in a balanced harmony. A London Dry in the best possible German way, unquestionably worth it´s price.

Details