The Teasmith
First Produced
2015Still Type
Copper Alembic
The The Teasmith Story
The Teasmith Spirit Company is simply a husband and wife team – Nick and Emma Smalley – two passionate gin drinkers who decided to take their hobby of infusing gins further three years ago and create a classic gin inspired by their local area of Aberdeenshire.
The use of tea as a botanical in the gin was inspired by the rich history that Scotland has with the tea trade. From ships delivering tea into the nearby bustling Newburgh trading port to famous tea clippers being produced by shipbuilders in Aberdeen harbour, the local area and indeed Scotland has a played a pivotal role in the establishment of the tea trade. Many don’t realise, but it was a young man from the North East of Scotland who planted the very first tea plantation in Sri Lanka. Known as the Father of Ceylon Tea, James Taylor broke new ground and begun a process that transformed the island into one of the finest tea growing regions in the world.
Working with consultant Beverly Wainwright, Nick and Emma selected a very unique tea from the Amba Estate in Sri Lanka to use within their recipe. The hand-picked and hand-rolled tea has been made just how Taylor would have made his first batches 150 years ago. The resulting spirit is a classic Juniper forward gin with light citrus notes and a slightly sweet finish.
And it doesn’t just taste great – it looks amazing too! The award-winning Teasmith bottle has a number of small unique hand-finishes – each cork is fire-branded by hand and each label is hand applied.
Key Botanicals
- Juniper
- Loose Leaf Black Ceylon Tea
- Coriander Seed
- Orange peel
- Rose Petals
- Honeyberry
- Grains of Paradise
- Liquorice Root
- Calamus Root
- Orris Root
- Angelica Root
Tasting Notes
As a botanical, the black Ceylon tea is really quite complex – offering an array of flavours. In the lower temperature band, floral notes. As the temperature rises you get strong citrus notes of orange. As the temperature rises further we get minty sweetness. All these elements blend perfectly into the more classical gin botanical range whilst giving The Teasmith something really quite unique.
Nose: Bright and crisp with a beautifully balanced mix of Juniper and Citrus
Palate: A tale of two halves – juniper and citrus come to the fore with a subtle addition of spice. As these fade, a warming minty sweetness develops on the tongue that lingers perfectly in the aftertaste
They Teasmith team say their gin is best served with a sprig of mint, premium tonic water and plenty of ice.
Key Personnel
- Nick Smalley – production
- Emma Smalley – marketing
Website
The Scottish Gin Society verdict
Not what you’d expect from a tea-infused gin, it has rich aromas with a warming sweet mouthfeel. There is a spiciness that comes in after a hint of orange too that makes it an incredibly rich gin that’s just our cup of tea
