A
toast for Swedish gin - the Right Gin
by Peter Holmertz, SACC Texas
Does the combination of gin and
Sweden sound odd to you? Well, not to Swedish Master Blender and beverage
creator Henrik Facile. Living in Austin since a few years back, Henrik is proud
to see one of his creations hitting the shelves in liquor stores across the country.
It all started when the spirit company
Altamar Brands in California went looking for a new premium product to invest
in. They realized there was a market for a new Gin product and they went to
Sweden to find one. Why Sweden when gin traditionally comes from England? Well,
Sweden has a long history of making premium aquavit with countless combinations
of herbs and spices. ”Making a gin is in
many ways similar” explains Henrik.
Photo: Kevin Stein, Store Manager Twin Liquors at the Hill Country Galleria (left) and Henrik Facile (right)
Through the world network of professional
booze makers, Altamar came in contact with Henrik who had a rich portfolio of
products on his resume. When asked if he was able to create a premium gin produced
in Sweden, he did not flinch at the challenge.
According to the creator
himself, the result is “a very smooth and fresh gin with a dry slightly peppery
aftertaste”. The recipe includes flavors like Austrian juniper, coriander leaf
from Russia, cinnamon from India, fresh lemons and bergamots from Sicily, lime
and bitter orange from the West Indies and black Sarawak pepper from Borneo to top
it off. Henrik’s motto when making a product is that it should be just as good
to drink straight as it is good to use in a cocktail. It only takes a few
minutes reading online reviews to confirm that this is also a true quality of Right
Gin.
Right
Gin is produced in Malmö, Sweden.
It was first launched in Las Vegas and is now available across the USA
and UK. In
Texas, Right Gin is generally available in stores carrying premium
products,
such as several Twin Liquor stores in the Austin area. And yes, as
everything these days, also a bottle of gin has its own website - www.rightgin.com.
Henrik Facile continues to create new
beverages for different clients and partners. Asked if there is something new coming
he reveals his passion and dream to teach America to enjoy the traditional
Swedish Punsch (a type of rum liqueur served hot or cold as every Swede knows very well). So
after the first Swedish gin coming to the US, Punsch might be his second first.
Stay tuned, and enjoy Right Gin responsibly!
