Ungava Canadian Premium Gin 70cl, 43.1% ABV

Product Information

Line bonus or box bonus: This bonus is added at the end of the game, and adds 25 points for each hand won during the game.

Around the World in 80 Gins: Canadian Gin - Sipsmith Around the World in 80 Gins: Canadian Gin - Sipsmith

Located in Alberta, Canada, Turner Valley is a historic hamlet located about 35 southwest of Calgary. There you will find a gem of a distillery called Eau Claire Distillery. Farm fresh ingredients and historical hand-crafted methods define what Eau Claire is today. They specially crafted the Gin Rummy, a unique, Canadian gin with refined tastes.Some use simplified card values for easier calculation of the scores: Ace to 8 are 5 points, 9 to King are 10 points, wild cards 25. One unusual, and distinctly Canadian, take on the spirit is Ungava Gin. Not only is the gin lemon yellow-hued, but all of its botanicals are native to the country. From cloudberries to wild rosehips (the source of its colour) to Labrador tea, the botanicals are as Canadian as they come.

Gin • whichgin enjoys a unique Canadian Gin Ungava Gin • whichgin enjoys a unique Canadian Gin

Next came what we variously described as ‘fruity’, ‘sweet’, ‘minty’ and ‘fresh’. But we also had ‘grassy’ and ‘lemon tarty’. What we did all seem to agree on was that those ‘tea’ botanicals showed through alongside the juniper, and that there was a definite citrusy undercurrent. It’s also worth flagging that – even those who were at the tarter end of their descriptions – we all agreed that this was extremely smooth and drinkable. How to serve Ungava Gin Note that Aces are always low in runs. A-2-3 of a suit is a run but Q-K-A or K-A-2 of a suit are not valid runs. I first mixed it with some 1724 tonic. The beverage has a lovely golden tone to it. The tonic really emphasizes the bitter notes of the Ungava. It tastes exceptionally dry. In an odd way this combination makes for a Gin and Tonic that might be to the liking of those who are fans of more bitter drinks. There’s a touch of sweetness, but this is certainly not the Gin and Tonic you’re used to drinking like a sugary sweet soda. Very interesting the way certain notes come out here. Nice. Several people have suggested the tactic of putting down a combination including a wild card while holding a card that will enable it to be retrieved later. For example with Nines wild, holding 5, 6, 7, 9 in your hand you put down 9- 6- 7 as a run and keep the 5 in your hand, planning to use it to release the wild card later when you can use it to go out. This gives you the flexibility of the wild card without risking the penalty for being aught with it should another player go out before you. Shutout bonus: If the winner won every hand in the game then the points for each hand are doubled before adding the line bonus. I wasn't sure here how to handle it if someone has won all hands except for ones that end in a tie, so for now I'm requiring that you win all hands and none end in a tie to get this bonus. Let me know if you disagree with this.Some play that when the draw pile is empty play can continue so long as the next player wishes to take the top card from the discard pile, but as soon as a player refuses to do that, the play ends and the hands are scored.