Drink of the Week: Guilder’s Red Oolong Gin

I don’t mean to brag when I say that getting to sample the fascinating and delicious products of the drinks world is a huge perk of my job. (Okay, maybe I’m bragging a little.) Case in point: Guilder’s Red Oolong Gin. I first sampled the gins from Guilder’s when they released late last summer. And I was struck by the serendipitous meeting and collaboration of the brand’s founders, James Park and Wan Di, whom we subsequently featured in this year’s Imbibe 75. The result of the collab is a trio of dry gins. Two highlight the flavors of meticulously sourced Taiwanese tea leaves, and a third is infused with goji berries.

While each expression is lovely, the standout for me is the Red Oolong Gin, both for its gorgeous aroma and unique flavor profile. Di has a particular affinity for Taiwanese oolong. And the quest for the perfect tea leaves involved more than a year of experimentation. Ultimately, the gin is infused with a tournament-grade red oolong from a third-generation tea master in Taitung, Taiwan. The russet-hued gin is heady with earthy, floral aromas from the rich, malty tea. It carries through notes of chocolate and orange with a pleasantly tannic finish. I enjoy sipping it on its own with an orange twist. But I recently encountered a Martini variation on the cocktail menu at Eavesdrop paired with a blanc vermouth. It was stunning. $54.99, chesterfinewine.com