Everything to know about flavoured gin

At HM Gin we are big lovers of contemporary flavoured gins, as you can tell by our wide range of gins that include some the best flavoured gins in Australia.

So what are flavoured gins?

When making flavoured gins the world is pretty much the Distillers’ oyster. Juniper berries are still the key botanical used as without juniper it cannot be considered gin, however a Distiller can choose whatever botanicals they like to produce the flavour profile that they desire. Unlike a London Dry Gin where the flavour must solely come from the distillation process, a flavoured gin may get its flavour through distillation and from any other processes that are used post distillation.

Common ways flavour is incorporated post distillation to create a flavoured gin:

1. Maceration

Maceration is the process of soaking botanicals in spirit to draw out deeper flavour. This can be done either before distillation (soaking botanicals in the base spirit) or after distillation (soaking botanicals directly in the finished gin). We use maceration in two of our gins:

HM Pinot Noir Gin
For this release, we macerate Pinot Noir grapes for eight full weeks in our award-winning HM London Dry Gin. This slow, patient process allows the bold fruit flavours to harmonise with our signature juniper-forward base. After maceration, the grapes are pressed using a wine press to capture
every last drop of flavour.

HM Six-Eyed Scorpion Chilli Gin
For our chilli gin, we macerate Six-Eyed Scorpion’s Extra Hot Chilli Mix directly into our London Dry Gin. The maceration time varies with each batch depending on the heat level of the chillies, ranging from 27 to
30 hours. We continuously stir the mix throughout the process, as it’s the most effective way to draw out maximum flavour and intensity.

2. Barrell aging

After distillation, many distillers store their gin in barrels to develop additional flavour and colour. Whisky, wine, and sherry barrels are commonly used.

Our Orange Squeeze Barrel Aged Gin spent six months resting in Tasmanian whisky barrels. It’s dry on the palate, with notes of juniper, navel orange, spice, vanilla, smoky oak, and a warm whisky-style finish.

To craft HM Woodcutter Gin, we take a slightly different approach. Instead of aging in barrels, we immerse medium-toasted French oak spirals directly into the distilled gin. This technique imparts a smooth caramel-oak character that defines Woodcutter’s bold, rich finish.

3. Adding additional flavour

Adding additional flavour can involve syrups, fruits, or any ingredient that carries strong natural character.

For example, in our HM Seven Spice Chai Gin, we add local raw wildflower honey after distillation. This touch of honey gives the gin a creamy mouthfeel and smooth finish — just like a chai latte. Because we use local honey, the colour of each batch can vary naturally. The hue of the honey depends on where the bees roam and what they feed on.

For HM Blushing Pink Gin, we gently stew fresh strawberries and raspberries in water to create a natural fruit syrup. This is added to the distilled gin to enhance its colour, aroma, and subtle sweetness.

Are all flavoured gins sweet?

No, not all flavoured gins are sweet which can sometimes be a misconception about them. It really comes down to the botanicals used to craft a specific gin. As mentioned above some gins are aged in wooden barrels for a period of time, often this creates more of a whisky flavour than a sweetness.

The HM Gin range of flavoured Australian gins

We love flavour at HM Gin, and most of our range reflects that. With the exception of our HM London Dry Gin, nearly all our gins fall into the flavoured gin category. We’re proud to say we’ve crafted some of the most delicious flavoured gins in Australia.