Lucky HANS Gin

What is behind the name Lucky HANS? If you google "Hans" you will first find the following information: Hans is a popular male given name. In fact, until the early 1960s, Hans consistently held the top spot on the German name charts. Since 1960, however, the popularity has declined somewhat, but, and this is the good news, HANS is back! Not only as a boy's name but also, with the addition of "Lucky," as the name for an exceptionally German gin.

True to the traditional roots of the name, Lucky HANS is made only with herbs, fruits and berries that also grow in Germany. That means you won't find lemon, tonka bean, vanilla or other exotic botanicals on the ingredients list. Instead, local fruits like apples and pears and a very special local berry are used: The rowan berry.

You might be thinking, wait a minute, that's poisonous! Don't worry, that's not the case. You should not eat the berries raw, because they contain parasorbic acid, which does not get along so well with your stomach. As a brandy, however, the rowan berry is completely harmless and a real treat. In Bavaria, it has been refined for centuries into a high-proof spirit (Vogerl!). This not only makes HANS happy, but also predestines it to be the perfect ingredient for a genuine Bavarian Dry Gin.

In addition to rowanberry, six other botanicals are used, all of which are native to German lands. In the Bavarian Forest, they are distilled in a small-batch process on a traditional wood-fired copper still. The result is a gin with a fruity, pithy note that goes particularly well with classic, tart tonic waters (e.g. Thomas Henry). Enjoy and be happy!

These are the botanicals of Lucky HANS Bavarian Dry Gin:

Lucky HANS is distilled exclusively with botanicals that also grow in German lands. First of all, of course, with juniper berries. They are responsible for the spicy taste of a gin and form the basis for the other botanicals. Apples and pears give Lucky HANS its fruity, pithy appearance. They come from the lush meadow orchards of the distillery. On the palate, the noble sweetness of the pear harmoniously rounds off the fruity apple notes.

The next botanical brings back childhood memories, because your mother probably warned you about this berry: rowan berries. You really shouldn't eat it raw, it causes stomach aches, but as a brandy it is completely harmless. It gives gin a lovely creamy marzipan note and is considered a particularly noble ingredient for a spirit in Bavaria (and Austria).

A bit of sloe is also part of the recipe. With its tart fruit acid note, it gives Lucky HANS that certain kick in the finish. The same goes for the green fruit of the walnut tree. The shell contains valuable bitter substances that give Lucky HANS a little extra kick.

The last ingredient must not be missing from a gin from Bavaria: Malt - Gott erhalt's. The grain serves to flavorfully support the spicy juniper base. With 44% alcohol, Lucky HANS is pleasantly strong in taste. The fruity composition of the recipe, however, makes it a thoroughly refreshing gin, which can be served in style, for example, as a gin & tonic with a slice of apple.