We love gin at Travel Wanderlust, and rum, wine, whiskey and most alcohols. We love reviewing it. So when we got a chance to try out Malfy gin, we jumped at the chance.
To kickstart our Malfy gin journey, we decided to try out the Con Limone variant. This is one of four types – the original, Gin Rosa (pink grapefruit infused), Con Arancia (blood range infused) and of course the Con Limone.
We will hopefully get a chance to try the rest later, but the Con Limone is a great to way to start our journey with Malfy Gin.
READ MORE: Check out our honest review of Bass & Flinders’ two new gins
About Malfy Gin
The gin is a premium Italian gin, which might not be the first place you associate with the new wave of gins taking over the world. We were excited to try it because it isn’t something that we’re that familiar with. It is distilled at Torino Distillati in Moncalieri, Italy.
Malfy Gin is made using vacuum distillation, which is also called cold distillation. This uses a lower temperature and is how we keep our botanicals fresh and flavourful. It is a newer gin technique that is aimed at retaining as much flavour in the gins versus a more traditional method that breakdowns the botanicals.
The alcohol review
We usually try to do our tasting in a fun setting, because most gin is drunk in a group or as part of a celebration or night out. A clinical testing environment may not provide you with the right type of review and in the right frame of mind to take in the many flavours.
As per the usual, we usually pair the gins with a tonic and nothing else in order to keep it simple and also maintain a standard for our reviews. We used a basic tonic, a Waitrose Indian tonic water with no added sugar. It is a neutral tonic that we think works best to really taste the flavours in the gin. It is also very affordable.
First reaction
The gin incorporates the following botanicals; Juniper, lemon peel, grapefruit peel, orange peel, coriander, cassia bark & liquorice. This is very apparent right from the get-go, as it is absolutely bursting with lemon flavour. This is supposed to happen, especially with the incorporation of Amalfi lemon peel into the gin. It gives it a distinct flavour that reminds me of limoncello and oddly enough, aniseed as well.
In fact, if we were to have a small issue with the gin from the start, it would be the slightly overpowering taste of lemon zest. This quickly dissipates, but it can be surprising to some. The good news is that it preserves and elevates the character of the peel quite well.
The taste
In a simple gin and tonic without any garnish or flavoured tonic, I feel this stands up quite well. The Malfy gin con Limone is a fresh and very easy drink – especially for non-gin drinkers to experiment with.
For those who love the freshness associated with citrus and lemons, this is a must-have. The feeling I get though is that this might not work well with complex cocktails as it tends to overpower other flavours and not mix that well. So, sticking to something simple and that requires a strong flavour as the alcohol base would be a good option for the Malfy Gin.
The liquorice is quite evident as you continue to drink and that is a good thing. Balanced against the traditional gin spices and the lemon zest, it complements the freshness quite well.
How you should enjoy it
I strongly advise using a neutral tonic and sticking to the basics; either a gin and tonic or a cocktail that complements a citrus flavour. I see this as an early evening drink or an after-dinner cocktail aimed at perking you up after a long day or to start an amazing night out.
The cocktails to consider are a spritz or a Sgroppino. Both rely heavily on the Malfy Gin Con Limone for the flavour and to be the dominant aspect of the drink.
So there you have it, that is our honest appraisal of the Malfy Gin Con Limone. This is a great starter gin for those not ready to go in the deep-end and also a fun gin to try out.
For those looking to purchase the gin in Singapore, visit their online store and for orders worldwide, visit their website to find out more.
