Ireland’s only absinthe launched by the Lee
There’s a new gin in town – or at least a new gin distillery!
Located in the Marina Commercial Park in Centre Park Road, Rebel City Distillery was founded by husband and wife team, Robert and Bhagya Barrett, producing the award winning Maharani Gin and also absinthe (an anise flavoured alcohol).
Having a new gin hitting the market is hardly news anymore (it has been around since 2020) but the story behind Maharani is special as all botanicals are being supplied by Vanamoolika, an organic women’s farming collective in India. The collective provides employment, health care and training to local women, ensuring that women can be independent and working towards a thriving community.
Maharani, which means ‘high queen’ is a smooth gin with a delicate floral note. Light citrus flavours are in perfect harmony with the juniper berries leaving a gin that will make its way soon into my gin collection (yes, I do have a gin collection).
It is wonderful to have a distillery in the city again after way too many years and I am delighted that Bhagya and Robert are not just relying on one product (no matter how good it is) but that they are also producing absinthe which will be available soon.
Based on a French recipe, the anise flavoured spirit is clear but will turn white cloudy when water is added – as it also does with the Greek ouzo or the Turkish raki.
Anise is not my favourite flavour in liquor but it is great to see that an Irish version of absinthe is now being produced. Make sure to give it try but be careful – I have seen people getting crazily drunk from it.
It was made illegal in France and other countries by 1915 – mainly because social moralists were opposed to the consumption of the drink as it was loved by artists and bohemians. Their reasoning was the use of thujone, said to cause hallucinations which has been disproven in the meantime. Apart from getting you drunk, absinthe is now considered not to be dangerous.
Rebel City Distillery will offer tours where you can learn more about how gin is made but more importantly, Aisling will tell you all about how the botanicals are mixed and infused to create the beautiful gin and will tell you about the women’s collective who produces them. Great care has been taken to get the best produce for the gin and the perfect mix to get the best flavour.
Aisling’s passion for the Maharani gin is visible when she talks about the women’s collective and showcases the botanicals.
In the near future, a gin school will be added where you can create your very own gin (who knows, you might just create the next award winning Cork-based gin in the process). The distillery also features a stunning looking bar where gin and absinthe based cocktails will be mixed in future but as it is classified as a taproom, it can only be open at certain times.
Check out their website rebelcitydistillery.com for more on booking tours (running every Friday, Saturday and Sunday for €25) and the opening of the gin school.