So first thing to say about this gin is it has an identity crisis. The bottle says Antagonist Half Cut Gin, the URL on the website says the same, and yet the website and everything it contains says Hard Cut Gin. Hard Cut Gin sounds way more convincing, and as it turns out the Hard Cut named version won Gold at the Australian Gin awards this year, however the physical evidence will have to win the day, so Half Cut Gin it is.
So what is this Half Cut Gin from Antagonist? Well the name is in reference to the grass that is steeped to create it, which is the Australian favourite, Kikuyu. Yep that hard to kill, takes over everything, survives a nuclear winter, Australian domestic lawn. So why Half Cut, well that is because they pick the grass by hand, stem by stem, and then within 5 hours it is on the production line. Even having read the company line for the name, my take is a little different, I suspect that only a half cut fool would choose to cut kikuyu by hand, stem by stem - use a lawnmower you idiot.
Rant over.
Despite the naming challenges, and the questionable production techniques (those lean sigma crew would have a field day), the gin is a fresh number that is said to invoke the flavours of spring.
The distiller recommends starting neat. We are recommending with an aromatic tonic, and a garnish of pink grapefruit and/or rosemary.
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