Can You Handle The Bitter Truth Pink Gin?

The Bitter Truth was founded by Stephan Berg and Alexander Hauck, both bartenders from Munich, in 2006 when they realised that the world was once again ready for a comprehensive collection of authentic, handmade cocktail bitters that would allow people to create classic cocktails of the past. Before Prohibition, bitters were widely used in cocktail creation and set cocktails apart from other drinks like fizzes and sours. With the worldwide resurgence in cocktails their venture was a resounding success and the duo set their sights on creating drinks like The Bitter Truth Pink Gin. The gin is very unique as Berg and Hauck specially created a proprietary blend of bitters and blended these with a traditionally crafted pot-distilled dry gin. It's these bitters that give the gin its pink colour, not artificial flavourings or colouring's.  I love the description that the guys at The Bitter Truth Co. provide about their gin; it's so far from the serious, technical talking German stereotype as it could possibly be: "It begins with a Mediterranean bouquet on the nose, with juniper, lemons and warm spices. Wonderfully calm in the mouth, juniper is still at the helm but it is supported by a crew of fresh spiced flavours like liquorice, caraway and fennel which cruise to a smooth whirlpool finish. This minx is not just a common gin with a fake tan; it’s a sophisticated metro sexual in a salmon jumper."" The tradition of Pink Gin began in the 19th century when sailors in the Royal Navy would blend bitters with their gin rations in an attempt to sure sea sickness. When these Navy men returned to shore, and the unthinkable premise of sobriety, they bought their preference for this elixir with them. Gin in general was hitting a peak in popularity during the latter part of the 1800s and most reputable drinking establishments were serving Pink Gin at this time. Many years later, Pink Gin became part of the British romance with popular spy culture and the unofficial drink of spy agencies. The drink was the favourite tipple of author Ian Flemming and it made an appearance in the The Man With The Golden Gun novel as well as in Poirot and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by British author John Le Carre. The Bitter Truth Pink Gin has been created to please the modern palate with subtle yet complex flavours and a silky, gentle mouth feel. It's very versatile in as you can easily enjoy it neat, in a G&T or as an ingredient in a whole multitude of different cocktails. This versatility and meticulous crafting of complex flavours has earned The Bitter Truth Pink Gin  a Gold Medal at the Femmes et Spiritueux du Monde Concours International Monaco in 2011 and a Bronze Medal at The San Francisco World Spirit Competition in 2013.

The Bitter Truth Pink Gin

This is a classic London dry masterfully blended with a host of aromatic bitters that provide the pink tinge to the liquid. The overall impression both on the nose and palate is fruity and floral. Digging a little deeper you can get berries followed by the slightly spicy fennel, caraway and liquorice. It wouldn't surprise me if there was some anise in there too. Juniper isn't prevalent (you wouldn't really expect it to be) but the subtle flavour complements the sweeter elements of the gin nicely. This is a very well balanced offering and put together with the unique attention to detail that only German engineering can boast. It would be too easy to enjoy this neat over ice but I feel that half the fun of this one would be combining it in your favourite cocktail to add a fresh twist. You can pick a bottle up to try for yourself here.