Our newest product is the Blue Ocean Edition Caribbean Gin. Unique to the Caribbean it is a product designed with a purpose:
- To create much needed awareness of the Caribbean coral status
- To have a positive impact on the sea
It also tastes great and changes colour, but there’s more about that in this article.
Why make a Blue Ocean Edition?
We are ocean enthusiasts.
The Caribbean Sea has been an inspiration to the way we live and the way in which we create our gin. So, what better way for us to celebrate and give back to the beautiful Caribbean Sea than to make a product dedicated to it.
The aim of our new Blue Ocean Edition is two fold:
- To create awareness of the Caribbean coral/marine life status
- To positively contribute to the enhancement &/or protection of the marine environment
This blue gin is more than a bottle. It is our passion.
What is Blue Ocean Edition Gin?
What makes the Blue Ocean edition special? Here are some of the reasons that our Blue Gin is getting attention around the world.
How is it Blue?
Yes, it’s blue. Naturally dyed blue using a locally grown flower (Butterfly Pea).
The gin making process strips the natural colour from the flower as well as a slight, floral aroma.
When you drink the Blue Ocean gin you can smell taste the floral tones. This adds a unique palate and creates an interesting addition to those who like tropical flavors.
It changes colour
One of the coolest things about the Blue Ocean Edition gin is that the natural blue colour actually changes when you mix it with different substances.
Acidic liquids, such as lime juice, grapefruit or even tonic have a natural reaction with the colour pH and cause a reaction that results in a pinkish/lilac colour.
The colour will vary depending on how much acidity you add. The colour will also change when you add something neutral such as coconut water. The pinkish colour returns back to a blue.
It supports ocean projects
The main driving force of this Blue Ocean Edition is its link to the ocean.
The Caribbean has lost 80% of its coral life and cover in the last 50 years
The Guardian
This is a huge impact. The major amount of loss is due to:
- Natural Causes
- Global Warming
- Hurricanes
- Invasive Species
- Human Interference
- Overfishing
- Coastal Development
- Pollution
We feel that there needs to be a lot more awareness of this huge impact and hope that through creating this Ocean inspired product, the Caribbean can get international attention for its huge coral loss.
The Ocean Projects
With our close proximity to the sea we are able to access the beaches and surrounding reefs. There are a couple of ways that we are directly making a difference:
- Beach Cleanups
- One of the best ways to make a difference in ocean pollution is to collect the trash before it makes its way into the sea.
- Organizing and participating in local beach cleanups (and underwater cleanups) through organizations like Green Up Grenada
- Artificial Reef Projects
- Financial contribution and monitoring services of artificial reef projects like the Grand Anse Artificial Reef Project
- This project helps develop local coral growth and promote the education of the coral and marine life importance
Blue Ocean Edition Launch
We launched the Blue Ocean Edition gin on World Oceans Day 2020 (June 8th). This was done to highlight and showcase our love for the sea.
The Showcase Barrel Rested Underwater
When we make a batch of gin it normally “rests” in barrels (in our distillery) for two weeks before we bottle it. This is standard practice for gin making and allows all the flavours to fully integrate into the mix before they are bottled up.
Our showcase barrel of Blue Ocean Edition Gin rested under the sea for two weeks.
Why?
Why not? Part of creating awareness is creating a point of interest. When we swam the showcase barrel into the sea we also swam alongside local corals to inspect and highlight just how damaged they really are.
The barrel was then secured under the famous Lightship (in the marina behind the distillery). Here it rested for two weeks, waiting patiently to be brought up on World Oceans Day.
What happened to the showcase batch & was it any different?
The barrel was secure, but it did have a gentle sway with the waves. Compared to the normal resting period in the distillery (stationary), the showcase barrel gin was wave rested.
Did this effect the flavour? A little. It had a chance to mix around in the barrel for two weeks. The blue gin in the barrel was brought out of the sea for the Launch and sampled. The rest has been bottled into a secret batch, that may or may not come out at a later date for special tastings.
The Live Stream
The launch took place in the midst of the Covid-19, so a party was not an option. Therefore, we organised an online, live stream to document the event.
Here we ran the video live from the Lightship deck and:
- Jumped into the water to retrieve the showcase barrel
- Brought the barrel up to our display bar
- Streamed a live feed through social media to explain the reasoning and positive impacts of the Blue Ocean Edition
- Drank the showcase barrel batch and experimented with the colour changing
The future of Blue Ocean Edition
We’d like to keep Blue Ocean Gin going into the future (not a limited edition). This will help us to spread more awareness around the world (about the Caribbean’s coral status) and be able to make a positive impact.
The more Blue Ocean Gin we sell, the greater the impact we can have. So, cheers and let’s drink to a blue cause with a blue gin.
Gin enthusiast and Caribbean Dreamer.
