LoneWolf Cloudy Lemon Gin 70cl, 40% ABV - Made by BrewDog Distilling Co in Scotland - Macerated in Fresh Sicilian Lemon Peel

Product Information

A couple of months on from the launch, we review the giant that didn’t come out of the woods to wreak havoc and take the world by storm as many predicted, but that has taken some rather self assured steps instead. A lemon-based gin is most often based on the base gin recipe of a specific brand, but in this case with more added lemon notes. The recipe of this classic gin is then slightly altered to fit the flavor palate of the added lemon notes more. Inherited baggage, early rambunctious talk aside and separating Lone Wolf from Brewdog for a minute - It is clear that they as a distillery are bigger, better funded and operating at a scale that very few in the craft sector achieve in their first five years, let alone at the very start. Their route to market is already well established and their fanbase and credibility already seeded. These facts alone actually makes them more of “the establishment” than the majority of new distilleries that have opened since 2012. Lemon Grove gin is a gin from a brand called The English Drinks Company. This brand only started distilling gin in 2016, but they’ve already managed to come up with a great arsenal of different gins, their first gin being a Cucumber gin. Foxdenton is a family run company that specializes in the production of English fruit gin liqueurs and London Dry gin. Their aim is to make great seasonal drinks based on traditional recipes while using British fruit.

The Lemon Sherbet is a zest and sweet variation to this smooth London Dry gin. They basically use all the same botanicals as in the London Dry gin but with a lot of added lemons to the distillation.This wash travels into what can only be described as a majestic 11 thousand litre “triple bubble” still, to be distilled up to around 60% ABV. At which point it undergoes a second distillation in a separate still where it is sent through their 18 metre high column (possibly the tallest in Europe, if not definitely the tallest in the UK), hitting plate after plate in the process of not just raising ABV up to 97%, but smoothening out and softening up in the act of doing so. The citrus notes in this gin are quite strong and will feel amazing on the tongue. It still remains a gin with its strong juniper flavors which means that this drink is great for both people who enjoy a good gin and for people who want to try something different from their traditional gin.

This gin is a bit more herbaceous than other gins on this list and therefore it has quite a nice aroma to it. On the tongue, you notice the honey and some zingy lemon with a smooth and lasting finish of pink pepper, citrus, and soft lavender. Flavored gins are becoming more and more popular every day for the last few years. A few very popular flavored gins are for instance blood orange gins, pink gins, and violet gins. The City of London Distillery opened on the 20th of December in 2012 and was the first distillery in the city of London to open for almost 200 years. Other gins in their range are for example a traditional London Dry gin, a Lime Tree gin, a Classic Pink gin, and of course their Lemon Grove gin. On top of that is lemon verbena to sweeten up the aroma. Hand-peeled lemon is infused with the other botanicals of this gin to form an amazingly floral, refreshing drink.Derbyshire Distillery is a relatively young distillery that only started in early 2018. They aim to create the most amazing gins, vodkas, and liqueurs using high quality local and international ingredients combined with fresh, cool Derbyshire. Masters in craft beer BrewDog has cut its teeth with the BrewDog Distilling Co. launching a series of world-class spirits made from scratch, grain to glass, in their distillery in Scotland. Starting with gin, the LoneWolf barks a juniper bite, joined by a G&T and the latest to the brood; LoneWolf Cloudy Lemon. All depicting the alpha wolf created by leading Californian artist Bioworkz, a likeminded lover of punk, animals and tattoos.

Especially pine needles are a botanical not often found in gins, but it makes a great earthy peppery addition to the gin. It’s remarkably different to the V1 & V2 prototype gins the brand released in the months preceding the launch, but it’s clear to see the thought process that’s gone in from them to this final outcome and overall- it’s a really well assembled Gin. As a flavour structure it has been distilled perfectly to deliver the three main elements, which are all clear and present, arrive in deliberate succession and have a graceful clarity when they do. The secondary citrus elements ( coriander seed, lemongrass, kaffir) help add some levity towards the finish, which would otherwise be like getting lashed by pine, while elements like mace, cardamom and pink peppercorns add a little complexity throughout. It’s nice to see almonds being used to add some weight to the mouthfeel too. The Lemon Peel version is a bit less lemon-forward and somewhat more sweet than the Sicilian Lemon, while both gins do a great job of keeping juniper at the center of the taste palate.These go accompanied by some zesty refreshing citrus notes and hints of red fruit making for a bit sweeter version of the Sicilian Lemon gin. It’s safe to say that the English Drinks Company has quite the experience in distilling flavored gins and it shows! Citruses in general were already a quite commonly used botanical in gin, pretty much every dry gin contains citrus botanicals. Only recently, however, have brands been incorporating lemons specifically more and more into the main flavor palate of their gin. On the nose, you immediately notice the citrus twist to this gin with some added sweetness. The spirit is refreshing, but it comes paired with a warm vanilla feeling and finishes with bright and warming licorice.