Aeijst Umbra Gin

The Dark Side of the Gin.

Staying true to his German roots, Wolfgang Thomann has been distilling Schnapps for 30 years, before he got the idea to try out some Juniper Schnapps. In 2014, he crafted his first Gin and fell in love at first taste. Convinced he found his true calling, he founded Aeijst (a Styrian dialect word for branches, can’t forsake his German roots just now). This Gin is difficult to pronounce, but not to drink.

At least the jury of the Worlds Spirits Award thinks so: they gave the GIn a gold medal in 2019. It become so popular that the production soon moved from his home distillery in a small village in Styria into a bigger distillery in St. Nikolai. But this brand is still very much a family affair. If you are just now picturing a Grandpa sitting at the table, peeling cardamom seeds, with his son crushing junipers next to him and his daughter rubbing lemons, you aren’t far off: according to Wolfgang, macerating together is this family’s way of spending some quality time together. Handcrafted and organic, that’s the brand’s signature.

Umbra, Latin for Shadow, is a darker expression of this Fine Drink that we’re perhaps used to. Aejist Umbra Gin’s deep aroma of cocoa beans from the Zotter chocolate factory gives it a sensory and emotive feel. The fruity and spicy aromas are still present, but strengthened and recomposed. It is both vibrant and burnt, sunny and shadowy, balanced to perfection. This Gin is a whole new experience and we advise you not to miss it.