‘This is something new’: The Irish gin producer leaving tonic behind

Jason Kidd of Outcast Brands is one of the more interesting gin producers, specialising in “giving people new ways to enjoy gin beyond tonic”. His latest creation is Blood Monkey Spice Storm gin, flavoured with orange and cardamom.

The flavours are precise and clean. “It is all about doing it simply, but well. This has a second distillation with Seville oranges and cardamom seed. It brings nice warming notes that you want in winter. It will probably become seasonal,” he says.

Complimentary ingredients

As with the standard Blood Monkey gin, he suggests you serve it neat with ice, or straight from the freezer. “Alternatively, we have found a number of complimentary ingredients that work well, including ginger beer (such as Bundaberg), but not ginger ale. We are trying to be overtly masculine as opposed to going down the pink gin route. It is not for the faint-hearted.”

In a few months, Kidd intends on releasing a spring/summer gin flavoured with mango and lime leaf, tying back into the brand’s naval heritage. Later in the year, he hopes to launch a rum, the first aged in Irish casks in Ireland.

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A winter soup

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Hot potato and bacon salad with ranch dressing

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“We are in most of the leading off-licences and Spice Storm has been going well. We see a good rate of sales and the retailers really like it. There is an acceptance that this is something new to the category.”

Blood Monkey Spice Storm is available for €45 per bottle.