This is odd to say, but it’s sort of sad to dislike something you were actually sort of ready and willing to like. We’re big fans of lemoncello here so when we see the Italians making a gin, our hopes in a bevy of citrus and awesome flavors were sort of muted by the end result in Gin di Fiori. While the lemon certainly has a role to play here, overall it’s just not a good gin. It straddles that expanse between galaxies of ‘gin’ gins and ‘wild’ gins, and fails to be either.
Let us clarify that a bit, when one buys say a Hendricks they know the effect will be far different than say a Tanqueray – now that’s not to say all gins have to fit in there, some of them can be like Monkey Schwarzwald and just blow you away with flavor. This attempts that, but the flavor it delivers on both the neat and cocktail route leaves much to be desired.
What they Say: “Fragrant and delicious ‘Gin di Fiori’ is a gin distilled with Tuscan juniper berries, lemons from the southern Italian coast, and herbs, spices and flowers from the Italian countryside. Juniper grows in the wild across Tuscany giving Gin di Fiori its incomparable characteristic flavor. Roses, cinnamon, and rosemary provide delicate spice and rich aromatics, while lemons balance the botanicals with a clean lightly sweet citrus note. Gin di Fiori is produced according to an ancient recipe of the Vincenzi Family, noted Italian distillers since 1930.”
Taste: 5.5 – At the front it’s very much about the juniper, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was going to have a citrus bent, because that’s really what smacks you in the face. It’s not exactly kind here either.
Aftertaste: 7.0 – Here the botanicals, the citrus, and the other flavors start to meld with the strong current of juniper in a very nice and pleasant way. This is sadly marred a bit by the burn because as you’re about to find out…
Burn/Smooth: 5.0 – This is not exactly a ‘smooth’ gin. There is a backbeat of some burn here and it nearly ruins everything but by virtue of not being so strong it manages to squeeze by.
Aroma: 6.5 – You certainly get the lemon, juniper, and rosemary here – as for the cinnamon and roses (sure, okay buddy). Overall it smells nice, fragrant, and like it would be a good gin with some additional citrus and tonic water.
Honesty: 6.0 – Nothing too criminal there, although regardless of how true it is – the concept of gin with roses and cinnamon being tasted and for some reason used is a bit laughable. Add the funky design in and this does well enough for a passing grade given it’s lack of saying something like ‘smooth’
Mixability: 5.5
W/ Rocks: 6.0 – Okay. It rearranges the burn into a longer, but less brutal affair – losing some of the taste in the process.
Gin and Tonic: 5.0 – Now see this is interesting. You certainly get a unique blend of the aforementioned flavors, but it’s also – not good? Like this was expected to be where it shines, but the flavor you get with some ice and tonic isn’t that promise of rosemary and lemon. It’s more botanical and vegetal – maybe a cucumber could sort this out, but overall the taste isn’t as good as a fancy G&T nor a more basic one.
Value: 3.0 – Sorry but we just can’t justify that price for so little gains. It’s not a bad gin, but with such a crowded field it simply can’t compete.
Google Shop Average: $22
Website: https://www.distillerievincenzi.com/
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 4.0
Want to compare this spirit against our archives? Visit our statistics page.
Metric Score: 38.5/70 |+| Metric Average: 5.5 |+| Reviewer Average: 4.0
New to Honest Booze Reviews, or just wondering how we score? See our FAQ/Review Policy.
Final Thoughts: As such we end up with a gin that while it scores decent is ultimately a failure. It doesn’t taste great neat, it’s not super smooth, it doesn’t mix terribly well, nor does it cost cheap enough to warrant it’s other faults. At the end of the day maybe with some lemoncello mixed in this could accompany a meal, but if we’re honest – it’s just not a good gin.
That’s a harsh review. I like it