Quaffed the Raven

Aber Falls is one of only four Whisky distilleries in Wales and is found near Rhaeadr Fawr, the famous Aber Falls waterfall. Sadly though, there’s not much to be learned about their gin. The product page provides little more than tasting notes, and the website seems far more interested in promoting the brand as a Whisky distillery, which only became available in 2021. They are probably most well known for their Orange Marmalade gin.

Design

The bottle is a fairly tall, round number tapering out from the bottom slightly and up to a domed shoudler, ending in a long slightly bubbled neck. Topped with a stopper sealed in white wax, the glass is a light blue, with the majority of the label printed directly onto the glass. What’s slightly odd is that the paper label stating it’s a small batch Welsh dry gin (not to be confused with their Small Batch Welsh gin!) has actually been placed over some of the printing, and not perfectly straight, I might add. Front and centre is the name, followed by a little blurb surrounded by a printed Celtic design, then the paper label providing the ABV and volume. Around the back is a small paper label with the usual info. It’s nice and bright, but doesn’t scream ‘premium’ to me. I much prefer the Small Batch bottle, which has the design embossed.

Nose

First off is a pleasant, sweet and fresh juniper mixed with a healthy dose of coriander seed. Angelica provides a nice, fresh and earthy backdrop. I sometimes feel that angelica can come across a little heavy or stewed, but this is lovely and vibrant. The overall profile is a little elusive and takes a little more coaxing out of the glass than I would like, but there are some nice fresh, floral and citrus notes. I’m wondering whether elderflower might be in there somewhere, and likely a bit of lemon. It’s not overly bold, but it’s very pleasant.

Taste

Neat, that freshness comes through beautifully and there’s a lot more flavour than the nose implies. There’s a lovely warmth, even though the overall tone is fresh and bright, with sweet liquorice notes coming through like caramel, along with some bitter lemon, crisp angelica, and coriander. There’s a definite note of something else here too that I can’t quite put my finger on, perhaps a pepper or spice that provides a little kick, but has some body to it too. I’m also feeling a little more confident about the elderflower. It’s well put together and easy to drink.

Water brings out some richer, more earthy flavours and expands the underlying sweetness as well as the bitter citrus. It loses a little brightness, but overall I’d say it really broadens the flavours and impresses. There are some fantastic rooty notes here, along with a very well held foundation of juniper. I’m really looking forward to how this mixes with tonic.

Finally, a G&T (2:1 Franklin & Sons Indian tonic with a wedge of lime to garnish). The result is simple, classic, refreshing, and delicious. It’s exactly what you would want from a standard G&T. Need I say more?

Overall

Well, this has been a learning curve. As you can see from the image, I’ve already tried this gin a few times… but taking a little time over it has paid dividends. In my view, this is an excellent gin. Sure, there are no boundaries being broken here, no Captain Kirk on the horizon discovering strange new worlds, but that’s not what Aber Falls are trying to sell. What they’re selling, in my view, is a classic dry gin that fits well within the box of ‘Gin’ and if that’s what you’re looking for this is absolutely worth checking out. I’m genuinely impressed and will be keen to share this bottle with friends. And if their Small Batch is better than this, then it’s going to be very high on my list of gins to pick up!

Aber Falls Gin is widely available online

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All reviews are of the author’s personal collection, bought and paid for by the author, unless otherwise stated.