Among the botanicals of a London Dry Gin that is self-respecting, the star player is, of course, juniper. There is then a small percentage of essences common to many gins, because they are the basis of its flavor
characteristic. The real work of customization is done with a few ingredients carefully chosen to give the drink a clear identity.
The recipe of Banxiae gin includes 7 botanicals, all sourced from Italy, including: angelica, coriander, pink pepper and helichrysum. We personally take care of harvesting the 3 main ingredients, namely juniper berries, leaves of the olive tree and Banksiae rose buds. They are the ones that give structure, elegance and a strong territorial appeal to our gin.
We use the berries of the common juniper (juniperus communis) to produce Banxiae gin. The Umbrian juniper is considered one of the best in the world by gin producers for the quality of its essential oils; quality given by the combination of two factors: the climatic conditions of Central Italy and the particular composition of the soil.
The
Banksiae rose is a spontaneous climbing plant that blooms only once a year, during
spring. Few days pass and petal-rich corollas bloom from its climbing branches
(slang for double flowers). Luckily, we are able to collect rose buds from the
Banksiae from a voluminous and fascinating 100-year-old plant inside the
cloister of Monterone Castle, just outside Perugia.
The rose enriches the bouquet of many many London Dry Gins, but our Banksiae rose is a special plant, with a delicate and captivating scent and, most importantly, with its own history. We believe that the delicate scent of the Banksiae rose, reminiscent of the scent of the violet, serves to lend a note of special fragrance to our gin.
Olive tree-leaf is one of the botanicals that gives the strongest character to our gin, after juniper. In fact, while the rose perfumes and mellows it, olive tree leaves give it persistence. When drinking Banxiae gin, the balsamic note is clearly noticeable. The olive tree is one of the most characteristic plants of our region, so it is a fundamental ingredient, which well represents our gin completely made in Umbria.
We move through the territory of Umbria, starting from the hills around Perugia to the borders of the region. Often it is the people born and raised in the places we choose for the collection who direct us and accompany us to inaccessible and secret places, those who know the forest because they live there or frequent it for hunting. All along the way, those people not only tell us their story, they give us the possibility to experience it. (…) They show us such beautiful and unexpected pieces of Umbria, so intimate, that our gratitude to them leave us speechless. Every year, a different place where to collect the raw materials and every year a different availability of it, without asking more than what the nature offers, to bring out the best in it.