First Impressions
What does juniper actually taste like? Not juniper alongside angelica and coriander and citrus peel, but juniper alone, from a single estate, distilled with nothing else? That is the question Origin answers. Created by Master of Malt, each Origin expression showcases juniper from a different region — this one from the sunny slopes of Arezzo in Tuscany, where some of the world's finest juniper grows. The berries are cold-distilled in a rotary vacuum still with a water bath set at a maximum of 30 degrees Celsius. Evaporative cooling ensures the mixture never exceeds room temperature. The distillate is taken off through a glass coil condenser filled with ethylene glycol at minus 20. No heat. No compromise. Pure juniper.
Tasting
The nose is bright, piney and sharp — pure Italian juniper with nowhere to hide. Resinous, clean, with camphor and pine needle freshness in almost medicinal clarity. On the palate, the spirit is light and almost watery before the juniper character builds: sharp pine with gentle citrus undertones that the berry itself naturally provides. It is a lesson in what premium juniper tastes like in isolation. The finish is remarkably long, a bright juniper aftertaste that lingers in the back of the throat. Each bottle ships with a 10ml vial of nine cold-distilled botanicals — coriander, lemon peel, bitter orange, cardamom, angelica, cassia, liquorice, cubeb berries and camomile — for those who want to build towards a more traditional gin profile.
The Bottom Line
Origin Arezzo earns a 7 — not because it is the best gin you will ever drink, but because it is one of the most educational. It proves that terroir matters in gin as it does in wine, that Tuscan juniper has a brightness and length that other regions struggle to match, and that cold distillation at room temperature preserves nuances that heat would destroy. Essential for anyone who wants to understand what juniper actually contributes to their favourite gin.
