Oli' Gin, Olive Gin Manguin En Provence, ABV 41% 50cl

In the commune of Avignon in the middle of the Rhône is the island of Barthelasse: the largest river island in Europe. Formed of the rich alluvial soil deposited by the river, it is a fertile land bathed in the Provençal sunshine and cooled by the mistral wind.

In the ‘40s, Claude Manguin planted peach & pear trees, initially for the fruits themselves but soon becoming the base of exceptional eaux-de-vie. The distillery was taken over in 2011 by husband & wife team Béatrice & Emmanuel Hanquiez, who have continued with the passion and savoir-faire of the distillery, creating new incredible spirits in the process.

The range is led by Oli’Gin, a gin which includes three varieties of Provençal olives, and Oli’Still, which is the macerated distillate of the olives without the other botanicals. Both have a beautiful olive-forward nose, reminiscent of focaccia, which is about as close to sunshine in a bottle as we’ve ever tasted.