Andrew and Emma discovered the kumquat during their travels through Vietnam. They were particularly impressed by the Tết festival, the Vietnamese New Year. During this most important celebration of the year, kumquat trees adorn streets, shops, and homes and are almost as ubiquitous in Vietnam as Christmas trees are in Europe.

For Far Reaches, carefully selected Nagami kumquats from China are used. They lend the gin its characteristic sweet and fresh citrus notes, yet are significantly finer and less sharp than classic citrus fruits such as lemon or orange.

It is precisely this balanced aromatic profile that helps make Far Reaches exceptionally smooth and harmonious – especially in combination with the fivefold distillation.

Fun Fact: With kumquats, it's exactly the opposite of an orange. The peel is pleasantly sweet, while the flesh has a fine sour note. For Far Reaches, the entire fruit is therefore used to combine both taste profiles.

No gin without juniper. For Far Reaches, the juniper berries come from two renowned growing regions: Tuscany in Italy and the mountainous regions of Macedonia. There they grow wild and are traditionally harvested by hand. Using large wire baskets, the ripe berries are knocked from the branches and then carefully selected.

The juniper berries form the foundation of Far Reaches Gin and give it its classic gin structure. At the same time, they deliberately remain in the background, allowing the citrus notes of kumquat and the extraordinary botanicals from all over the world sufficient room to unfold.

It is precisely this balance that makes Far Reaches so accessible. While many classic gins have a strong juniper-heavy profile, Far Reaches focuses on a harmonious interplay of juniper, citrus fruits, and exotic botanicals.

Fun Fact: Botanically speaking, juniper berries are not berries at all, but cones. The ancient Greeks already used them in athletic competitions, as it was believed they would increase the endurance and performance of athletes.

The quandong fruit grows exclusively in the Australian Outback and is little known outside of Australia. Andrew and Emma discovered it during their travels through Australia and were immediately fascinated by its unusual character.

In terms of taste, quandong is reminiscent of a mix of peach and pomegranate. The fruit offers a pleasant fruitiness, but at the same time has a fine tart note that gives the gin additional depth and complexity.

In Australia, quandongs are also considered a real superfood, as they contain an exceptionally high amount of vitamin C. The seeds are traditionally used for jewellery or ground into flour.

For Far Reaches, quandong perfectly represents the idea behind the brand: to discover exceptional botanicals from the most remote regions of the world and bring their stories together in a gin.

Not every botanical found its way into Far Reaches without discussion. In fact, sarsaparilla was the ingredient Andrew and Emma debated the most.

Searching for an ingredient that could add extra depth and a delicate natural sweetness to the gin, Andrew suggested sarsaparilla – the main ingredient in Root Beer, popular in North America. While Andrew is a big fan of the drink, Emma couldn't stand it. After many tastings and discussions, she was finally convinced: this botanical was exactly what gave Far Reaches that certain something.

Both wild North American sarsaparilla berries and the roots of the Mexican sarsaparilla vine are used for its production. They don't create a root beer flavor, but instead bring subtle notes of vanilla, caramel, and a pleasant bittersweet depth to the gin.

Before distillation, the roots are steeped in alcohol for many hours, allowing their delicate aromas to release and harmoniously blend with the other botanicals.

Fun Fact: Sarsaparilla has been valued for centuries and is traditionally associated with positive properties for digestion and well-being.

Grains of Paradise originate from West Africa and belong to the ginger family. For Far Reaches, they are sourced from Ghana and give the gin its characteristic spicy finish.

For Andrew and Emma, Grains of Paradise hold special significance. As native South Africans, they traveled extensively across the African continent and wanted to reflect this connection in their gin. They chose a botanical that has been used for centuries in West African cuisine, often serving as an alternative to black pepper.

In terms of taste, Grains of Paradise are reminiscent of a combination of black pepper, lemon zest, cardamom, and a hint of ginger. They provide the subtle warmth and spice that is particularly noticeable in the finish of Far Reaches, perfectly complementing the fresh citrus notes of the kumquat.

Fun Fact: Grains of Paradise are an important ingredient in the famous North African spice blend Ras el Hanout and are traditionally valued in parts of West Africa as a natural aphrodisiac.