If you are looking for some Scandinavian style to adorn your gin shelf, then you probably want to invest in a bottle of Kalevala Gin.

The gin is inspired by the Finnish folklore of Kalevala, and is distilled in the same area. The gin is inspired by the mystical Sampo, which is said to bring good fortune to the holder. The simple but beautiful bottle reflects this with its rich cream and copper label. It’s a great story and a really great gin.

On the nose, Kalevala Gin has the unmistakable oily and forest-like scent of juniper and refreshing mint. In my head it took me straight to a beautiful Finnish forest and made me very excited to pour myself a glass (not that I need too much encouragement there…)

I tried Kalevala Gin with a few mixers. The first I tried was with some Luscombe Damascene Rose Bubbly to make a beautiful gin fizz. If you are ever in the mood for something sweet and floral, then I’d really recommend this. Second, I mixed this gin with Fever Tree Light, and it makes a deliciously crisp gin and tonic that will leave you wanting another.

As for garnishes, again, I tried a few. With the gin fizz, I added a few dried rose petals to complement the floral mixer. In my (many) G&T’s I tried my go-to garnish of pink grapefruit and fresh rosemary – the gin has rosemary of one its botanicals, so this really brings out some of the flavours. I also tried pomegranate seeds with fresh rosemary, and although I did enjoy this garnish, it lacked the sweetness of the grapefruit which I really prefer.

Unfortunately, Kalevala Gin isn’t available to buy in the UK at the moment, athough you can buy it online. Converted into GBP, this gin comes in at around £20 and it’s an absolute bargain for that price. I’m going to keep an eye on the list of stockists and I’ll update this as soon as there’s a UK supplier.

When I drank it

The gin fizz I drank on a sunday night as a sweet treat. As a G&T, I found Kalevala Gin really easy to drink at any time. It’s very versatile.

What I used as a garnish

A slice of pink grapefruit and a sprig of fresh rosemary was my favourite garnish. Pomegranate seeds with rosemary and rose petals also complement this gin really well.

Is it worth the money?

At £20-ish, this gin is absolutely superb.

UK shipping of this gin is available from Absinthes.com

Luscombe Damascene Rose Bubbly is available from Amazon