Castle Freke
ELEMENTAL IRISH
FINE SIPPING GIN
For the discerning few who sip with intent. Those who value purity, depth and provenance
A spirit not of fashion,
but of philosophy.
DISCOVER CASTLE FREKE GIN
Castle Freke Gin is a spirit of remarkable smoothness and layered complexity, crafted not for mixing but for savoring chilled, either straight or in a very dry martini. It is distilled in sophisticated small-batch copper stills through a proprietary 50-step process, using organic wheat alcohol and many rare and wild-gathered botanicals sourced from across the world including Tuscan and Macedonian junipers, Nile Delta coriander, myrrh from Africa, and myrtle from the Castle demesne, together with rare citrus fruits from the celebrated Pyrenean orchards of Agrumes Schaller. This is followed by long maceration prior to bottling.
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TASTING NOTES
Nose:
The initial welcome in the nose is very juicy and fresh, while the juniper is still hiding a bit. A vibrant spiciness with freshly squeezed celery and zesty mandarin and green lemon notes develop a feeling of complexity. When warming the gin up a bit the juniper becomes more prominent and takes the stage. It is joined by a subtle nuttiness and herbal impressions like freshly dried lemongrass. Notes of a mid-summer rain with intense petrichor complete the picture. Overall the smell is fresh and vibrant but also clean and straight. All aromas are integrated nicely without one specific aspect stealing the show.
Palate:
The expectations from the nose impressions are met perfectly: the arrival on the tongue shows a vibrant, zesty and fresh gin. The juniper is slightly oily and well balanced with freshly pressed juice of white grapefruit, zest of mandarin, and a touch of sweet pepperiness adding to the composition. Herbal notes leave the impression of freshly dried green kitchen herbs like chervil, mugwort, bay leaves, and basil. The taste remains unchanged until far into the finish, when the spicy notes become warmer and sweeter while the juniper stays dry. The mouthfeel is very smooth, gets more velvety towards the finish but doesn’t lose the intensity.
In General:
A pleasing sipping gin with a harmonious character. But make no mistake, this gin has a strong personality, no matter if enjoyed at room temperature or chilled with an ice cube. The producer’s ambition to make the perfect gin for a Dry Martini are excellently achieved, as long as the Martini is strong and the Vermouth is dry.
Julia Nourney, April 2026
“An internationally acclaimed authority on Spirits and the Distillers’ Art, Julia Nourney has enjoyed a thirty-year career as Creator, Consultant, Educator, Writer and Judge, impressing both Producers and Consumers across Europe, North America and Asia with the depth of her expertise and the precision of her palate.”
Castle Freke is the first true Sipping Gin – a spirit of remarkable smoothness and layered complexity, crafted not for mixing but for savouring in its purest form.
Castle Freke is the first true Sipping Gin – a spirit of remarkable smoothness and layered complexity, crafted not for mixing but for savouring in its purest form.
THE CASTLE STORY
Created by Stephen Evans-Freke at Castle Freke, the ancestral seat of his family as Lords of Carbery, who have endured on Ireland’s Atlantic edge for more than 400 years. Shaped by wind, sea, and time, this historic place is no mere backdrop – it informs everything, from the obsessive care behind the gin’s making to the elemental character of its taste palette.
