DISCOVER
Sir Edmond Gin is a rebellious spirit with an unusual character. This is its story. Their secret? A boundless appetite for new adventures. So sit back, treat yourself to my vanilla infused gin, and let The Flamingo Journal amuse you with stories about rebellious people and unusual places the world over.
Are you ready to fly?
MY STORY
Being a migratory bird from the island of Réunion, vanilla capital of the world, it made sense to me to create a gin that honours and evolves around one of the most valued flavors in world history and the botanical I adore the most, vanilla. I took inspiration from how the world’s best haute cuisine chefs use spices to perform culinary magic, in how to create this truly distinctive gin.
I collected the finest ingredients, selected with the sole purpose of supporting the vanilla that gives my rebellious spirit its unusual character. My gin comes about through a precise distilling process involving juniper, angelica root, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon. This distillate then gets infused with Bourbon vanilla for a few weeks, resulting in the game-changing taste of Sir Edmond Gin.
The combination of six botanicals provides both cocktail lovers and bartenders with an incomparable drinking experience that calls for a new approach and drives inspiration. Since the vanilla beats juniper’s natural bitterness, mixologists are challenged to rethink the possibilities of gin when it comes to creating new cocktails and reinventing classics.
In a blind tasting, our delicate palette took the judges of the Spirits Business Awards 2017 by surprise. Sir Edmond was awarded with a Master Medal. I hate to admit it, but I’m as proud as a peacock (although a lot less arrogant). Allow Sir Edmond Gin to be the fuel to your next fabulous evening out or be there when you treat yourself to a perfect cocktail at home. Call me your wingman and treat your taste buds to a gin adventure you aren’t likely to forget any time soon.
Great gin is only half the story, though. The truth is in the adventure. So by all means, read on. Let me tell you about my ingredients, my favourite serves, my namesake and inspiration Mr Edmond Albius, and the African Wildlife Foundation I support. I want you to be part of this rebellious and unusual journey, too. Because you know, in the end, it’s all about leaving a legacy.
Are you ready to fly?
THE CREATION
Creating gin takes patience. When six botanicals are involved, balance is key. Our distillation and infusion process is time-consuming for a reason: we want our bottles to contain the best possible spirit. Let us show you how it’s done…
Sir Edmond Gin is made in Schiedam, The Netherlands, by one of the best distilleries in the world: Herman Jansen. The family business started in 1777 and has been distilling spirits for almost more than 250 years.
The creation of our Bourbon vanilla infused gin didn’t happen overnight. Before the first bottles of Sir Edmond rolled off the production line, countless combinations of ingredients were tested. A full year of talking with master distillers and having samples made eventually resulted in the perfect recipe.
Eight weeks. That’s how long it takes to craft the smoothest and most refined gin imaginable with nothing but natural ingredients and high-quality alcohol. To put this into perspective: a ‘normal’ gin can be made within 24 hours. So, what actually happens in those eight weeks? First, all botanicals are distilled in two separate pot stills — except the Bourbon vanilla, because distilling vanilla at a high temperature would destroy its flavour. Instead, it’s infused in alcohol for six weeks. It’s a cold infusion to ensure the release of more delicate and complex aroma’s. After the two liquids are blended together, the substance is put into a resting tank for one week to achieve perfect harmony.
Not that simple, huh? No wonder a lot of distilleries passed on the challenge. But then Herman Jansen came along, ready to give it a try. And my oh my, did they succeed! We headed over to the famous distillery in Schiedam to capture the magic on camera. The distillation of the juniper, angelica root, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon. The infusion of the Bourbon vanilla. The blending. The bottling. All steps necessary to end up with the rebellious spirit that we love and cherish are there for you to watch.
Enjoy!
the ingredients
Coming from the island of Réunion, vanilla capital of the world, I take my botanicals very seriously. They are presents of Mother Nature, aren’t they? Carefully combined, six of them give my rebellious spirit its unusual character: Bourbon vanilla (obviously), juniper, angelica root, cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon. Let me introduce you to the true stars of Sir Edmond Gin.
- Bourbon vanilla lends my spirit its adventurous soul. If it wasn’t for Réunion born Mr Edmond Albius, my namesake and inspiration, vanilla might have never become such a beloved flavouring. And sweet mother of birds, what a treat it is! Not only does vanilla make my gin change colour, it’s also responsible for the unusual, smooth and refined taste you’re in for. The legacy of Edmond Albius lives on.
- Juniper is at the heart of Sir Edmond Gin – and of gin and its Dutch predecessor jenever in general. The aromatic ‘berries’ of the juniper tree aren’t actual berries, but fleshy seed cones. Mine are from Macedonia, the world’s primary producer. In autumn, the berries ripen as their green skin turns purple. The juniper is harvested, I kid you not, by beating the trees with a stick. The berries fall, are gathered, get sorted, and – deo volente – end up in your glass.
- Angelica root likes it cold and damp; it prefers growing near water. Above Greenland ground the ‘angelica archangelica’ is already a rather charming plant, but the real magic happens in the soil. Originally grown for it’s nutritious and medicinal capacities, the sweetly scented angelica root came to be a favourite among gin makers. I’m proud to be one of them.
- Cardamom is a strong, fragrant spice made from the small black seeds of plants from the Zingiberaceae family. Or in understandable English: the ginger family. Native to India, cardamom is still being cultivated in large parts of Asia, but today’s biggest producer is Guatemala. As a matter of fact, that’s where I flew to get my feathers on it. Cardamom doesn’t come cheap: in price per weight it’s only surpassed by saffron and, of course, vanilla.
- Ginger could be called cardamom’s outrageously popular cousin. Like with angelica root, it’s what’s going on underground that counts. Ginger root makes up for it’s slightly deformed appearance (sorry, ginger) by being a spice famous for it’s versatility. It was one of the first to be shipped from the Orient to Europe, but is currently cultivated as far out as Nigeria. I like to think different, so guess where mine is from…
- Cinnamon was imported to Egypt as early as 2000 BCE, but up until the Middle Ages, the source of the sweet spice remained a mystery to Europeans. In the 1500s, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan found it in the Philippines. A century later, the Dutch East India Company made the trade blossom like never before. Cinnamon is essentially the inner bark of a tree – hence the funny shape. Add a stick to your Sir Edmond Gin & Tonic and float off to the Chinese cinnamon heaven that produced this oriental delicacy.
THE LEGACY
My story starts with a man who felt like doing it differently. A rebellious spirit who didn’t just think outside the box, but got rid of it. An unusual character who singlehandedly changed the future of vanilla. His name: Mr Edmond Albius.
In 1841, when he was just 12 years of age, Edmond discovered that vanilla orchids could be artificially pollinated by hand. Born a slave in Sainte-Suzanne, a commune on the north coast of the French island of Réunion, the boy needed little more than a blade of grass and a quick flick of his thumb to revolutionise the cultivation of vanilla.
To understand the impact of Edmond’s discovery, I need to take you back to 1820s, when French colonists first began growing vanilla on Réunion. Soon enough they were confronted with the fruitlessness of their efforts, as the insects refused to pollinate the vines. A teenager accomplished what a French university professor of botany had failed to achieve in the 1830s: quick and profitable pollination.
Edmond’s simple but sophisticated invention didn’t go unnoticed. His manual technique became standard practice and is, amazingly enough, still being used today – far beyond Réunion. In a just world, Mr Albius would have acquired wealth and received an endless amount of respect for as long as he lived. The truth is: he didn’t. After the French abolished slavery in 1848, the man that unknowingly made history left the plantation to become a kitchen servant. At the age of 51, a poor, free man by the name of Edmond Albius died where he was born as a poor, enslaved child: in Sainte-Suzanne.
Upon hearing his story, I felt compelled to include it in my own. Because history is far more than a succession of events. It tells us where we came from, where we are right this minute, and where we are heading. To embark on my gin journey without honouring the man responsible for Sir Edmond Gin’s unique and distinctive taste, would be sacrilegious. Like him, I have vanilla flowing through my veins. Using his first name is my tribute.
May the legacy of Edmond Albius live on.
african wildlife foundation
Have you ever wondered what the name ‘Edmond’ means? Read on, and I will tell you.
Sir Edmond Gin is a product of the world. Literally. I get my botanicals from southeastern Europe, Central America, Greenland, China, and Africa. Being a migratory bird from Réunion, my beloved island paradise east of Madagascar, the protection of African wildlife is as dear to me as making the best vanilla infused gin possible. I guess it’s in my DNA.
I may be a rebellious spirit, but I acknowledge my responsibility. In the face of human threats, I stand by my fellow animals on the African continent. How? Simple: for every bottle sold, there’s a contribution to the African Wildlife Foundation. This Kenya based charity dedicates its passion and funds to wildlife conservation and habitat protection, but also to community empowerment and economic development.
We enjoy the fruits of Mother Earth every day. What’s more beautiful and meaningful than returning the favour? I dream of an Africa where fragile ecosystems are restored to their pristine natural state by the collective efforts of well-meaning people across the globe. An Africa where all animals (but especially flamingo’s) are respected by humans, and taken for the miracles they are. You can make my mission your mission, one sip at a time.
And the meaning of ‘Edmond’? Protector. Allegedly, those named Edmond have a deep inner desire to inspire others in a higher cause. You wouldn’t say…
SIR EDMONDS GIN
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