Review: Sheringham Raincoast Gin    (86/100)
Reviewed by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)
Posted July 20,  2023

Sheringham Distillery is located in Sooke B.C., a locale which overlooks the Strait of Juan de Fuca on Southern Vancouver Island. The name ‘Sheringham” is an homage to the name original name given to the area in 1846. When the first postal service arrived and the first Post Office was built, the name Sheringham was shortened to ‘Shirley’ so that it would fit properly on the postage stamp. (The Distillery was originally located at Shirley B.C which is about 20 minutes north of Sooke.)

The folks at the Sheringham Distillery believe in the importance of strong ties with local producers. Applying this principal, they source local agricultural products from British Columbia and Vancouver Island. The by-product of their spent grains is distributed to local farmers as a healthy source of high protein livestock feed. The boxes their bottles arrive in are re-used for our distribution boxes. Sheringham Distillery re-uses, recycles and composts all they can.

The distillery produces a number of gins, two of which I have already reviewed,  Sheringham Seaside Gin which is a traditional juniper forward gin with a unique Island twist. They also produce the Beacon Gin (formerly Kazuki Gin) which brings an oriental flair to the Sheringham style.

Sheringham Raincoast Gin is one of their newer offerings said to be inspired by the fresh rainfall that feeds the lush temperate rainforest and is expressed through coastal botanicals, traditional juniper, and citrus. It is meant to be an approachable gin which presents presents impressions of the west coast through notes of nettle and oakmoss.

The Raincoast Gin is bottled at 43 % alcohol by volume and I was sent a bottle from their 2023 bottling from batch number 1301.

In the Bottle 4/5

Sheringham Raincoast Gin is sold in the 750 ml bottle shown to the left. This is a flask style rectangular bottle with a medium long neck for easy pouring and a corked closure which adds just a bit of class to the presentation.

The label is perhaps a little drab. Shirley B,C, is known for the view of the Sheringham Point Lighthouse which was built in 1912 following the fatal wreck of the SS Valencia six years earlier. (The lighthouse it is still used for navigation today.) It would be nice to see some landmark such as this on the label which would relate the gin more closely with its South Vancouver Island locale.

I do like that the label includes the year the gin was bottled and the batch number. Sheringham is a small batch producer and incorporating this  information onto the label helps to drive that point home.

In The Glass  8.5/10

Juniper and citrus jump out of the glass giving me an impression of a classic juniper forward gin with a lively brightness that is very appealing. Rich mossy notes follow giving the gin a nice earthy undertone. Hints of chlorophyll are implied whether from the impression of green oakmoss or as a side effect of the nettles is hard to say. What I can say is that this gin is right up my alley, and I cannot wait to taste it.

In The Mouth 51/60

When sipped, the gin is lightly sweet. The juniper flavour is firm and I can imagine that I am on the edge of a dense forest where juniper grows through a carpet of mossy undergrowth. I say the edge of the forest as citrus highlights keep the gin warm and bright. And although there is no mention of coriander as one of the botanicals in the gin, it seems to me that something which acts like bright coriander spice is helping the citrus spread the sunshine. There is an unfamiliar flavour which is somewhat grassy and somewhat earthy. I suspect I am tasting the impact of the nettles, and perhaps that mossy undergrowth I mentioned is the impact of the oakmoss.

As far as cocktails go, I am inclined towards a recipe like a White Lady or a Gimlet, but could easily be persuaded to enjoy a Martini or a Vesper with the right garnish. A Gin and Tonic is not out of the question either, and in fact it is a ‘dressed up’ Gin and Tonic that I share below as my suggested serving.

In The Throat 13.5/15

The finish is like the rest of the gin, both earthy with juniper and oakmoss  providing ground cover, and then bright citrus and that impression of coriander giving the gin sunshine in the exit.

The Afterburn 9/10

This is my kind of gin! It stays true to the classic profile which is loved worldwide and proven in all manner of gin cocktails. But it also plays around a little bringing us a real taste of a coastal rainforest. I can taste the mossy undergrowth, and it turns out that unfamilar flavour which reminded me of kale is probably the flavour of nettles. Both additions work well with the classic profile of gin giving us something new within something tried and true.

This is the third gin from Sheringham that I have tried, and it is the third winner!

Gin and Tonic #3

1 3/4 oz Sheringham Raincoast Gin
1/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Fresh Lime Juice
3/8 oz Sugar Syrup (or to taste)
Ice
2 oz Premium Tonic Water
Cucumber Chunk

Add the first three ingredients into a rocks glass
Stir and add ice
Fill with Tonic Water
Garnish with cucumber

Enjoy Responsibly!