The origins of Navy Strength Gin (NSG) are with the British navy, which doled out daily rations of gin or rum, with strength originally checked with a gunpowder test: if it was high-proof enough to ignite, it was good enough to drink (typically diluted with citrus juice and sweetened, but barrels of overproof spirit took up less space on board). Today, gins with an alcohol by volume above 50 per cent are often labelled Navy Strength and are useful in cocktails, where they still pack a punch in the mix with other ingredients. Here’s what Canadian distillers had to say.
Noteworthy Navy Strength Gin (57%)
Grant Stevely, The Dubh Glas Distillery (Oliver, B.C.)
Gold medal with Distinction and Best in Class, Gin–Contemporary, CASC 2021
What inspired your NSG?
GS: I've always enjoyed higher proof spirits: cask-strength whisky was the [inspiration] for something higher in abv. It’s really rooted in science: alcohol being a solvent, we are able to dissolve more flavour: think of higher proof spirits as having the potential for more flavour, and treat them as concentrates, and use less. We find that a standard G&T mixed with 1 oz of our New Western Dry (43% ABV), compared to 1/2 oz of our Navy Strength (57%) with equal parts dilution, are almost indistinguishable.
Is it the same botanical recipe as the distillery’s standard gin?
GS: Yes, it is the same recipe with just a different post-distillation process: it doesn’t require filtration to keep it from louching, like a lower-proof gin. Navy Strength doesn’t need that.
What feedback do you get?
GS: “Wow.” After a bit of tasting-room education, consumers often purchase it. When it sits on the shelf at a liquor store, the common response is that it’s going to be too strong. We certainly thought this would be very well received by the cocktail industry, however, I never expected the positive reception from savvy consumers.
Navy Strength Gin (57.1%)
Brock Coutts, Patent 5 Distillery (Winnipeg)
Gold medal and Best in Class, Gin–Contemporary, CASC 2021
What inspired your NSG?
BC: The history. Our brand features a number of elements of Canadian and Manitoba history and the story about NSG is a good fit. We do have a bar in the front of our distillery and our bartender wanted a high-proof gin that was full of flavour for cocktails that we serve in our cocktail bar.
Is it the same botanical recipe as the distillery’s standard gin?
BC: We experimented with about 10 different botanical combinations and settled on a recipe that has more juniper and more citrus than our London Dry, as we needed flavours that could stand up to the ethanol. We wanted to ensure the ethanol and the botanicals are balanced in a martini.
What feedback do you get?
BC: Very positive, with customers that have a bit of experience making cocktails. It is definitely a premium-priced product and I think that has limited its broad market appeal. It’s been immensely well received, but isn’t as popular as our other gins.
Photo courtesy of Cirka Distilleries
Cirka Gin Navy Strength (57.1%)
Paul Cirka, Cirka Distilleries (Montreal)
What inspired your NSG?
PC: It was deeply rooted in history. As I researched the origins of gins, even before jenever, I was intrigued with the story of NSG. The origin of “proof” before accurate instruments to measure alcohol level and satisfying the need for alcohol with soldiers and officers was fascinating. To think they discovered a solution to what is a hilarious problem was too compelling not to honour in a modern version. After all, the only reason they stored gin in with the gunpowder under lock and key is that officers didn't trust sailors to not consume their libation.
Is it the same botanical recipe as the distillery’s standard gin?
PC: We did not take our London Dry gin, Cirka Gin Sauvage, and simply proof it to a higher level. Our two existing gins served as a foundation for the recipe, but it was developed with the knowledge that the higher alcohol will affect the balance of flavours. Gin recipes from the era of NSG were fairly rudimentary, so we definitely wanted a simpler version of our London Dry, which uses 33 botanicals. We wanted prominent citrus notes, as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the need for citrus to ward off scurvy among sailors of the time. We do careful distillation and preparation of our base to disguise the impact of higher alcohol.
And it’s barrel rested for a few weeks after distillation to allow the congeners and essential oils to bind; this gin goes in our corn whisky barrel, as corn whisky is the base of our gins.
What feedback do you get?
PC: We have a loyal following with consumers for all three of our gins; however, I feel there could be greater reception for this specific product by consumers. After all, we are the only navy strength gin produced in Québec. I think the hesitation in picking the gin up is the higher alcohol, which has two effects: it drives the price up, because of our high excise tax rate in Canada; and secondly people have a misconception that higher alcohol spirits are harsher spirits. That said, the feedback we get once people do try our NSG, is that they fall in love with it. It makes a damn fine cocktail.
Botanical Beach Navy Strength Gin (57%)
Kala Hadfield, Spinnaker’s Brew Pub (Victoria)
What inspired your NSG?
KH: I was introduced to Navy Strength Gins at the Gin Summit hosted by the ADI and was intrigued both by the history as well as the impact of proof on the flavour of the final product. It also happens that our distillery is just down the road from the Esquimalt Navy base, so the gin is also a tribute to our community.
Is it the same botanical recipe as the distillery’s standard gin?
KH: We are a pub and distillery, so my flagship Botanical Beach Gin was designed to be a very versatile and balanced gin; our Navy Strength Botanical Beach Gin with the same botanical load and a higher proof allows the botanicals to really shine. The higher proof also allows more of the sweetness from our barley base to come through and the increased mouthfeel balances out the extra alcohol.
What feedback do you get?
KH: The Navy Strength is very cocktail friendly, so our bartenders really enjoy using it on the bar as it allows the gin flavour to shine in mixed drinks, even with other flavourful spirits. At retail it is a little more of a niche market... I feel as consumers learn more about the flavour opportunities of higher-proof craft spirits and not just their ability to light shots on fire, that traction will continue to grow.