Made with Love in the Black Forest

ORIGIN and HISTORY

A Black Forest princess becomes a city queen

The passion to create good distillates dates back to 1855. The following generations have carried on with this tradition and passion to the present day. Inspired by the Black Forest, born in the Black Forest, and brought to perfection in the Black Forest – that is neeka. 

And yet: the dense undergrowth, the dark forests, the deep valleys, and heavy shadows are not neeka's world. Because neeka is like the fine mist that floats above the treetops: ethereal, almost weightless, and always surrounded by a touch of mysticism, neeka rises above.

The beautiful black bottle is the perfect expression of simple austerity and natural elegance – and yet it forms an exciting contrast to neeka's charm. neeka's golden heart, the golden hexagon, shines in the middle. It's a logo which was deliberately chosen to represent the finest ingredients of this PREMIUM DRY GIN: Five exquisitely selected, perfectly combined botanicals – tangerine, juniper, lemongrass, cardamom, and chamomile – and as a final ingredient, the passion that flows into every bottle.

Each of these five botanicals gives neeka part of its unique character and the German word for the characteristic provides neeka with a name: 

CURIOUS, AUTHENTIC, DETERMINED, POWERFUL, UNIQUE
In German: NEUGIERIG, ECHT, ENTSCHLOSSEN, KRAFTVOLL, ANDERS

Five botanicals – a promise for all your senses – one gin: neeka.

GOOD TO KNOW

FIVE BOTANICALS

a promise for all your senses

5 defining botanicals lend neeka PREMIUM DRY GIN its distinctive character:

• 
  
  TANGERINE
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  JUNIPER
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  LEMONGRASS
• 
  
  CARDAMOM
• 
  
  CHAMOMILE

Thanks to the numerous meticulous handicraft processes and the gentle burning process, the 5 primary aromas are preserved and create the unique and pleasurable experience of neeka PREMIUM DRY GIN. Refreshingly sweet tangerine aroma meets juniper, lemongrass, cardamom, and the gentle lightness of chamomile. Together they form an incomparable distillate: the new neeka PREMIUM DRY GIN.

Experience the many facets of neeka.

We LOVE gin tonic

Gin Encyclopedia

What is gin?

Gin is a flavored, clear grain brandy with at least 37.5% alcohol by volume. Its basic substances are barley, maize, or molasses, which have been processed into high-proof neutral alcohol. Herbs, especially the characteristic juniper, lend it the special taste. Modern gins, however, set further accents.

But not all gins are the same. Compound gins can be distinguished qualitatively from distilled gins. With a compound gin, the botanicals (ingredients) are soaked in alcohol, then filtered and bottled directly. This manufacturing process is comparatively inexpensive. A distilled gin, on the other hand, is distilled after maceration - the cold extraction of the juniper and other botanicals. The result is a refined, higher quality gin. There can even be up to three distillation processes until the gin is bottled. And in bottles as beautiful as neeka's, it's a treasure in any bar. 

What types of gin are there?

The classic gins

Dry Gin, London Dry Gin, Old Tom Gin, and Plymouth Gin are the 4 classic types of gin. They differ in the production process and the characteristic taste. 

Gin did not originate in Great Britain, but in Holland and Belgium. The gin, jenever or genever produced there is considered to be the original form of juniper grain brandy. Another difference is the New Western / New American Gin, which has developed in recent years. And sloe gin, a liqueur made from gin.

+ DRY GIN
Characteristic for the Dry Gin is its mostly pronounced juniper aroma as well as bitter elements and citrus notes. Dry Gin contains no sweeteners. During the production process, neutral alcohol is added in individual steps to the plant-based components that give the gin its aroma. Flavoring substances, artificial additives, and colorings may also be added. The time at which the ingredients are to be added is not specified.

+ NEW WESTERN DRY GIN
With this gin, the juniper note either appears equivalently with other aroma notes or is even relegated to the background by these. The taste compositions are considered varied, balanced and harmonious and are therefore enjoyed in cocktails and pure as a "shot". The New Western Dry Gin is produced in a similar way to the London Dry Gin.

+ LONDON DRY GIN
London Dry Gin is not a dry gin made in London. No., the special feature lies in the manufacturing process: The flavoring ingredients must be vegetable and all added to the neutral alcohol at the same time. Only then does it undergo further distillation. Unlike dry gin, the subsequent addition or addition of artificial flavors or colorings to London dry gin is expressly prohibited. Sugar may be added, but only in small quantities of up to 0.5 g per liter. The London Dry Gin is characterized by a strong juniper taste and various fine spicy aromas. 

+ PLYMOUTH GIN
Plymouth Gin is a legally protected indication of origin for gins that have been 3-fold distilled in the English town of Plymouth. Plymouth Gin has a less pronounced juniper content than London Dry Gin and does not contain any bitter plant extracts. Instead, Plymouth Gin is said to have an earthy and at the same time soft and rather fruity-sweet note. Plymouth Gin from the British port city supplied the Royal Navy for a long time with a wooden box of gin for the launch of new ships - therefore Plymouth Gin is regarded as the unofficial personal drink of the British Royal Navy.

+ GENEVER
Genever - also known as jenever - is regarded as the ancestral father of British gin. Jenever is Dutch and means juniper. Genever is mainly produced in Holland, but there are also distilleries in Belgium and Germany.

Both old and young genever is available, whereby this says nothing about the age of the gin, but of the distillation procedure and the malt portion. Oude (old) genever is traditionally produced and has a distinct malt note. Jonge (young) genever has been produced since about 1900 with a finer distillation technique and with more grain instead of malt so that the clear grain brandy has a less dominant aroma.

+ OLD TOM GIN
The Old Tom Gin is, along with the Genever, the original form of the Gin and was very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. But even now it is in demand again because it is well suited for mixing cocktails. Old Tom Gin is made with the addition of sugar – unlike London Dry Gin.

And why the name Old Tom? In the 18th century, when gin was distilled cheaply everywhere in England, the British government enacted the "Gin Act", which prohibited the production and sale of gin without an official license. In order to circumvent the ban, statues of a tomcat were attached to the outside of many pubs. When someone outside put a penny in the mouth of the tomcat, the landlord poured a portion of gin into the pipe, which ended at the feet of the tomcat and allowed the secret enjoyment of the gin on the street.

+ SLOE GIN
The alcohol content of only 15 - 30% vol. as well as the sweet and fruity taste distinguish the Sloe Gin more as a liqueur than as a gin. Sloe gin is made from sloes, sugar, and gin. Even if the Sloe Gin does not correspond to the criteria of a "proper" gin, it may be specified according to European Union regulation as gin. It is excellent for aromatic drinks and cocktails.

More information: GOOD TO KNOW