London-based distillery, Jam Jar Gin, has released the Morus LXIV, a 64 percent ABV expression that will be sold in limited quantities at Harvey Nichols, with only 25 large format jars available. Priced at a staggering £4,000 (S$7,050), Morus LXIV is twice the cost of what was formerly the world’s most expensive gin, The Cambridge Distillery’s Watenashi gin, which retails for £2,000 (S$3,525).
The name hints at the provenance of the botanical at the heart of the gin — Morus alludes to the Morus Nigra, an “ancient” mulberry tree from an undisclosed location in the British countryside that lends its leaves to the flavour of the gin. Every single leaf from the spirit is hand-harvested and individually dried before distillation, then placed in a still with other botanicals sourced from the area near the tree. The resulting liquid is then placed in a cask to age. The entire process is a painstaking one, taking two years to complete.
Because the gin is cask-strength, it comes with the recommendation that one should taste it with a couple of drops of mineral water so that its sweet, woody, and juniper-forward profile can unfurl. If you must enjoy it as a cocktail, Morus LXIV is perfect as a highball made with sparkling water or in a martini with a restrained dash of vermouth.
Makers Dan and Faye Thwaites didn’t stop at the tedious distillation process either. A measure of Morus LXIV comes stored in handcrafted ceramic jars, with a 30ml and 700ml version available. Any purchase comes with a porcelain stirrup cup clad in an oxblood leather case. If you were wondering if the price justifies the means behind the gin, we’d have to vote in favour of “yes”.
Beatrice Bowers
Features Editor
Beatrice Bowers writes about beauty, drinks, and other nice things. When not bound to her keyboard, she moonlights as a Niffler for novels and can be found en route to bankruptcy at your nearest bookstore. Don't tell her boss.
