Ferdinand's Goldcap 2021
The annual special edition
- Country
- Germany
- Alcohol
- 49%
- Bottle size
- 500 ml
- Producer
- Ferdinand's
- In short
- The Negroni gin
- Botanicals
- Juniper, Riesling, Green walnut, Plum, Stevnsbær cherry
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Aromacode®
- 1 Pine, 27 of 100
- 2 Citrus, 32 of 100
- 3 Fruits, 77 of 100
- 4 Blossoms, 17 of 100
- 5 Grass, 16 of 100
- 6 Herbs, 38 of 100
- 7 Wood, 7 of 100
- 8 Spices, 45 of 100
- 9 Sharpness, 18 of 100
The Aromacode® shows how strongly each aroma comes through. The larger the wedge, the stronger the aroma. Numbers match the list.
About this bottle
A lot has happened under the Ferdinand's name over the years. At first, the focus was mainly on Saar Dry Gin and then Saar Quince. Since then, so many exciting products have appeared that you wonder when the ideas might start to run out. There's little need to worry about that with master distiller Andreas Vallendar, though. Whenever you hear him talk about a product, at least a dozen other things he's working on come to light along the way. You can sense how he's brimming with ideas and a desire to explore.
The botanicals
Goldcap 2021 can't be viewed entirely separately from the rest of Andreas and the Ferdinand's team's work. Its foundations were laid while developing Ferdinand's Red Vermouth in collaboration with Mario Kappes, formerly of Le Lion Hamburg. Some of the botanicals in that red vermouth, which works incredibly well in a Negroni, also appear in this gin: green walnut, Schönberger plum and Stevnsbær cherry. That last sour cherry variety is also available as a spirit in its own right from Mosel Distillers, by the way.
With this gin, they've built what I'd call a Negroni supercharger. You can stir a classic Negroni cocktail with it that's hard to match for intensity and complexity. And that was exactly the aim: the perfect gin for a fruity Negroni. The base was 5Y Ferdinand's Gin, with fresh fruit distilled alongside it. The green walnuts distilled with it also play their part.
Tasting Goldcap
Aroma
Bring your nose close to the glass — even just pour it — and you're met with an almost unbelievable intensity of aroma. To be clear, that's in the best possible sense. But it isn't juniper, citrus or herbs calling out first: the rich, fruity plum notes are right there. You immediately want to taste it. Will it taste like that too?
Taste and finish
Yes, the nose wasn't misleading. Welcome to a rich, extremely fruity gin. Plum, cherry and wine are very prominent, but the juniper holds its own, playing the bass line beautifully among the fruit notes. The fruit gives it a wonderfully long finish: sweet, with a gentle kick that provides a lovely contrast. Speaking of heat, that 49% ABV is almost a joke, because you don't notice it at all. What a mellow gin!
Final thoughts
This Goldcap 2021 is very problematic! Why? Because it's only available in a small run. As so often, this special edition is enough to make you cry. I'd love to see it in Negronis more often, because it's sensational there. But it's also pure joy in the glass when drunk neat. Once again, though, it'll run out eventually, so all I can say is try it: it'll disappear quickly. Very well done, Ferdinand's and Andreas! If you're looking for a gift, this gin is worth a look too. The bottle comes in a book-style slipcase that presents it beautifully.
The name says it all: Goldcap from Ferdinand's Gin is the annual special edition built around a special addition of wine. The 2021 edition is no exception, with Rausch-Auslese Goldkapsel 2010 from VDP Weingut Forstmeister-Geltz Zilliken in Saarburg.