Coming From The Lab That Makes Gin Flavoured By Newton’s Apple Tree, Anty Gin Is The World’s First Insect-Based Gin

Gin has witnessed a revival in recent years. Distillers around the world are constantly innovating with unusual ingredients and methods, creating gins that reflect a wide range of flavours and experiences. However, few have pushed the boundaries as far as Cambridge Distillery, with their creation of Anty Gin.

The Concept Behind Anty Gin

 

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The idea for Anty Gin was born from Cambridge Distillery’s ethos of experimentation and a commitment to crafting unique, sustainable gins. William Lowe co-founded Cambridge Distillery with his wife Lucy. They are constantly searching for new, unexplored ingredients to add to their gins. After a collaboration with the Nordic Food Lab, an organisation renowned for its cutting-edge research into sustainable and unusual food sources, the idea of incorporating ants into gin was sparked.

Anty Gin became the world’s first gin made using real ants. The key reason for selecting ants lies in their naturally high levels of formic acid, which lends a sharp, citrusy flavour. Unlike traditional botanicals used in the gin, ants provide a distinct acidity that complements the more traditional flavours of gin. The unique flavour profile created by these ants, along with other botanicals, made Anty Gin a culinary curiosity.

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The Taste Experience

 

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Anty Gin offers a truly distinctive taste experience. The first sip of Anty Gin is where the innovation truly shines. It has a pleasantly zesty, tangy flavour that goes well with wild plants like wood avens, nettle, and alexanders seeds. The end product is a revolutionary gin full of tingling lemongrass and a sweet, woodsy flavour. What’s most surprising about Anty Gin is its smoothness. There is a lingering sharpness on the finish, but it is balanced by the earthiness of the botanicals, making the gin both refreshing and satisfying.

Given its unusual flavour profile, the gin lends itself well to experimental cocktails. One of the standout cocktails featuring Anty Gin is the Formic G&T, a play on the classic gin and tonic. It is best served neat or in a delightfully unusual Anty Soda. By pairing this gin with a light tonic water and garnishing with fresh herbs such as thyme or rosemary, this cocktail allows the citrusy sharpness to shine.

So, when are you going to try this unique gin?

Cover image credits: Website/Cambridge Distillery