Melbourne's The Cannabis Company has just released the world's first gin distilled using cannibis terpenes.
The innovative new spirit is named The Myrcene Hemp Gin in reference to the most abundant terpene found in cannabis.
Terpenes are the primary constituents of the essential oils in many types of medicinal plants and flowers and are considered the “essence” of a plant.
The Cannabis Company began initially offering plant-based vegan hemp products for both the human and pet markets but soon began experimenting with the distillation of spirits.
For the gin, during the development phase, select elements from the cannabis plant were used in the spirit’s distillation, giving it a considerable hemp content and earthy, woodland character but according to the company, the spirit was still “just a gin” in terms of taste.
“It had to stand on its own two feet as a gin, regardless of the cannabis element,” The Cannabis Company chief marketing officer Cormac Sheehan says.
“If you never knew it had anything to do with hemp, you still had to be able to enjoy it as a gin. The real breakthrough came when we started adding terpenes to the distillation process,” Sheehan says.
The Cannabis Company continued research with their CEO Dr. David Stapleton, a senior researcher at The University of Melbourne with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Research isolated and examined a variety of terpenes and extensive testing resulted in myrcene being selected as the backbone of the gin.
Also found in hops, bay leaves and mangoes, myrcene is known to compose up to 50 per cent of the total terpene content found in individual strains of cannabis, with myrcene strains reputed to produce joyful and euphoric effects alongside an overall feeling of relaxation.
The Cannabis Company uses column stills to craft a lighter and more refined gin, adding myrcene for its joyful sense of euphoria alongside its relaxation-inducing qualities.
Small-batch crafted in Healesville Victoria, the initial release is limited to just 300 bottles.
