Aureus Vita

Jane Rakison finds spirit‑ual enlightenment in Trevethan Distillery’s game‑changing new gin Aureus Vita

What?

A groundbreaking and extremely limited‑edition gin that comes in at a hefty £175 a bottle. Aureus Vita (translation: golden life) is a new innovation from master distiller John Hall of Trevethan Distillery in Cornwall.

This isn’t a case of making a new gin and slapping a whopping price tag on it; it’s the culmination of 12 years’ experimentation. John, a former chemist, applied the golden ratio to every stage of the distillation process in his quest to create an entirely different kind of gin. And the result is set to inspire a whole new gin category.

Why?

The gin scene is such a rainbow playground of flavours that the world thinks of it as less noble than other spirits, or so John believes. This motivated him to attempt to reinvent the traditional gin‑making process.

How it works

The golden ratio is key to Aureus Vita. It’s a ratio that runs through all areas of life, from philosophy and science to nature and art. Snail shells, hurricanes, the Parthenon and even the Mona Lisa follow the rules of the golden ratio. It works like this: where a line is divided into two parts, and the longer part (a) divided by the smaller part (b) is equal to the sum of both parts (a) + (b), divided by (a), it should equal approximately 1.618. Got it? No worries if not, just keep picturing Da Vinci’s masterpiece.

Aureus Vita’s journey began in 2013 when John began resurrecting a Cornish gin recipe from the 1920s to create Trevethan’s London Dry. While honing this gin recipe over seven years, he noticed the proportions he’d unknowingly selected all tended towards the golden ratio. This sparked a lightbulb moment and John incorporated the ratio into the creation of a new (patent‑pending) type of still which he used to make this new gin, as well as applying it in the proportion of botanicals and dilution ratios.

You might think Aureus Vita’s astonishing ABV of 61.8 per cent will make your eyes water, but it’s actually the perfect ratio of alcohol to water. The balance of flavours supports the alcohol and marries seamlessly with the concentration of flavour, most of which comes from the two main botanicals of juniper berries and baobab. In fact, Aureus Vita is only crafted once a year when these botanicals are at their most vibrant so each release carries the hallmarks of a vintage, a bit like wine.

How does it taste?

Original ‑ and in a very good way. The first striking character is its texture: if ‘smooth as silk’ is a common drinks description, this is positively velvety. There’s no afterburn and it doesn’t even taste high in alcohol because every element is in balance. The creaminess of the palate seems to love the purity of the juniper which is simultaneously piney and peppery. And the length is impressive: it’s very, very long, and the balance improves the longer it sits on the palate. It makes for a perfect Martini.

Is it worth it?

Yes, and for several reasons. First, to get your hands on something with a very limited run that’s super exclusive. Second, to experience the astonishing texture, flavour and harmony of this finely tuned liquid. And third, to experiment: make a classic G&T with a typical ratio of tonic or with a bigger splash to lower the alcohol level. In either case the flavours shine through with ease. Don’t have fresh citrus or herbs to garnish? No problem: this carries enough flavour to go solo. If that sounds too good to be true then give it a go; tasting is believing.