Botanical Baskets: What Are They & Why Are They Used?

Discover the essential role of botanical baskets in gin distillation, from enhancing flavour extraction to creating unique, smooth
profiles that elevate every sip.

Why are botanical baskets used?

The botanical baskets’ (aka vapour infusion box/basket) primary purpose is to elevate the level of flavours in a gin.

For all of our gins that contain fresh fruits we utilise our botanical basket in addition to loading up the pot of the still. In these cases, in addition to juniper berries, coriander and other ingredients we use in the pot, we load fresh fruit into both the pot and the botanical basket.

The process?

The way the process works is the gin vapours coming off the still are piped through the botanical basket that is loaded with fruit. As the vapours pass through the fruit the gin vapours are infused with an additional level of fruit flavour to elevate the overall fruit in the final gin. After passing through the botanical basket the vapours are condensed, matured and finally diluted to bottle strength for packaging.

Do all distillers use botanical baskets?

Not all distillers use a botanical basket. Some stills, such as a traditional whisky pot still, do not have a botanical basket at all and rely on flavours being generated from the ingredients in the pot of the still only – or adding colours and flavours after distillation. Other distillers add nothing but water and alcohol to the pot of the still and ALL of their ingredients to the botanical basket only – the alcohol is infused with flavours as it passes through the botanical basket. There is no wrong or right way when it comes to the botanical basket and distilling as whole. Each and every brand makes gins according to their own distilling beliefs and principles and the equipment at their disposal.