Saar Quince – Quince Gin

Saar Quince by Ferdinand's with estate-grown Muscat quinces

Saar Quince by Ferdinand's Spirits is a 30 percent ABV quince gin liqueur, macerated in their own Saar Dry Gin and infused with Riesling Kabinett. It is not a gin in the strict sense, but the Saar region's answer to British Sloe Gin.

Saar Quince is the quince gin liqueur from Ferdinand's Spirits in the Saar valley, distilled and macerated at the Avadis Distillery near Wincheringen. Freshly harvested Muscat quinces from their own orchards are macerated in the finished Saar Dry Gin, complemented by a Kabinett wine from the Saarburger Rausch vineyard. The 0.5-liter bottle bears the same seal as its big brother, only in a copper tone.

Quince, honey, and a backbone of juniper

The quince is a fruit that no one wants to eat raw, but once cooked or macerated, it suddenly gives everything it has to offer.

That is exactly what happens here: the hard, fuzzy Muscat quince transforms into a warm, honey-like sweetness, underneath which the fine acidity of the fruit remains intact. Beneath that lies the juniper from the Saar Dry Gin, holding it all together. The over 30 botanicals from the base spirit continue to work here, only dampened by the fruit, ensuring the liqueur never becomes a syrup.

Sweet, tart, and slightly bitter on the finish, the Saar Quince is more mature than its golden color would suggest. Elderflower, citrus peel, and a hint of hop blossom leave their mark, and the trade magazine Spirituosen-Journal awarded it a straight "very good."

A sip with cheese instead of dessert

With 30 percent ABV, the Saar Quince sits between an aperitif and a digestif and handles both roles with ease.

Chilled to ten degrees and served neat in a small glass, it pairs well with aged mountain cheese, game pâté, or a piece of walnut bread, where its fruitiness works against the salt. Served cold and tall, it pairs with a splash of sparkling wine or tonic water. Two centiliters are enough to transform the dense liqueur into a light summer drink.

In the bar, it replaces Sloe Gin, for example in a Sloe Gin Fizz with lemon and soda water. It also takes on the sweet part in a Negroni, making the drink smoother without rendering it tame. Those looking for the dry counterpart can place the Saar Dry Gin next to it and serve both in succession—first tart, then fruity.

Why quince instead of sloe

British Sloe Gin thrives on the sloe, a tart wild fruit that may exist in the Saar region but does not tell the story of the area.

The Muscat quince, however, does, because this rare pear quince grows right behind the distillery of the Vallendar family, who have been processing fruit there since 1824. It is harvested only in late autumn, when the peel is yellow and the scent is already wafting through the pantry. The fruit goes into the gin fresh, rather than being purchased as a concentrate.

Added to this is the Riesling Kabinett from Dorothee Zilliken, whose Forstmeister Geltz-Zilliken winery cultivates the steep slopes of the Saarburger Rausch. Four friends began this union of vineyard and distillery in 2013, and the Quince was their second creation. You can find more bottles from the same producer in the Ferdinand's collection and more German spirits on the gin shelf.