Stay Home Gin No. 2

About this bottle

Drink gin and lend your support

Within three weeks, this edition had already raised €3,000 in donations. A great success. If you're reading this and would like to help by buying a gin, it's simple: every bottle automatically includes a €10 donation.

An insider tip for GinGinGin readers: use the code gingingin_SHG2 for 10% off and free delivery. If that isn't a reason to do some good and drink something good! If you've got your eye on a case of six bottles — perhaps for a remote gin tasting with friends — that triggers a €120 donation, and you'll also receive a print of the label artwork.

The art on Stay Home Gin

The gin's label was designed by artist David Tollmann. He also stands for the people who, alongside bars and hospitality businesses, have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic: fairground operators, actors, artists, musicians and many more. It's a radiant image full of joy that can sweep away a grey, boring moment. With the bottle's almost beacon-like wax top, it's a work of art for the gin shelf.

The botanicals in Stay Home Gin

As for the gin itself, organic alcohol and organic botanicals form its base. That's a good foundation for the product, and certainly another reason for its price.

Tasting Stay Home Gin No. 2

Nose

It's an intriguing gin. The aroma is warm, with restrained citrus notes. Gentle coriander and juniper say hello.

Taste

After the nose, the gin is surprisingly light and fruity. Honestly, I'd expected something much heavier. After a moment, you notice a little cucumber too. It isn't overly complex, but it's no complete lightweight either. Easy for the palate to understand.

Finish and aftertaste

At 40% ABV, the gin isn't a particularly hard hitter and can easily be tasted neat. The finish is rounded and a little fruity, then turns towards warmth. The aftertaste lasts a moderate time. It's slightly peppery, but more like berries and pepper than dry heat. Not very warm, but with a little sweetness lingering throughout the mouth.

Add ice…

Add a little ice and the gin simply becomes more intense in every respect. I find that the fruit and coriander come forward in particular. As so often, the melting ice can draw out a little more flavour.

Perfect serve — which tonic for Stay Home Gin No. 2?

My first tonic test with Stay Home Gin No. 2 is with Fever-Tree Indian Tonic. That works. It's definitely a gin I think will suit other tonics too. I'll add to the article after more testing.

Final thoughts

I'd put this gin in the category of basic gins with less pronounced juniper. It's certainly likely to appeal to plenty of drinkers. Nothing too outlandish, but no cleaning fluid either. It works in a gin and tonic, and surely in other drinks such as the Negroni and Gin Fizz too. The idea behind it gives it a special place in my eyes: the desire to do good counts for extra. There's always a lot of work and organisation behind that. You can see the current donation total at elbdestille.de.

Back in 2020, Johannes Viehhauser and the Elbdestille team put their efforts into their first ‘social’ Stay Home Gin, with built-in donations to help business owners in hospitality and other industries affected by the pandemic. They're doing it again in 2021, and we're taking a look at the second edition.