Turkey-infused gin hits the market ahead of Christmas

Portobello Road Gin brewed a small batch of the “poultry-infused potable” with an organic turkey breast hanging in the still, where it slowly cooks while adding flavour. The technique is borrowed from Mexico’s artisanal Mescal producers.

In addition to the turkey breast, 13 botanicals are used to flavour the drink.

Traditionally Mezcal de Pechuga is consumed at celebrations like baptisms and weddings.

Portobello Road said its gin-based offering combined dried fruits and spices to produce “a distinctly festive flavour; making it the perfect drink to toast the celebratory Christmas season”.

It marks the birthday of both the distillery and its founder, Ged Feltham.

Jake Burger, master distiller and director at Portobello Road Gin, said “My love for gin is matched equally by my passion for tequila and mezcal; and so for the third instalment in our Director’s Cut series it was a natural choice for me to look across the atlantic and take inspiration from our Mexican spirit producing brothers and sisters.

“As the alcohol vapours pass through the turkey breast during distillation they add something almost indefinable to the gin. You wouldn’t really say it was turkey flavoured gin, the flavour is very subtle, and whilst it adds it also takes away, absorbing some of the more intense fruit flavours and stopping them from overwhelming the taste of the gin.