Olive Oil & Liquor for the Gods
At the heart of this gin is olive oil, at the heart of the olive oil is a grandma, Anthoula Tzamouranis. Highlighting an ancient Greek tradition stemming from the humble olive, 2+1 blokes, failing to win a nobel prize or embark on similar world renowned ventures, decided to pursue their foundation in society through business setup.
Some hurdles and lots of taxes later the ambitious 3 took their burgeoning range of olive oil products to cross breed with the gin-hype-craze – eh voila! Olive Oil infused Gin. Currently a relatively small production of around 2000 bottles, but they’re only in its first year, they have managed to infuse a gin, from Greece, with olive oil, also from Greece, and produced, by way of Brandenburg, something quite unique and rather good.
We caught up with the Berlin trio with our illustrious 8 pressing matters;
Describe a ‘Eureka Moment’ when you realised you had distilled the perfect drink?
I think that moment was when we heard from George Callicounis, the owner of the (our distillers too), that he was impressed by what we’ve done with his gin.
Where do you seek inspiration to craft your spirits?
Our first impulse came with selling our olive oil, OEL, to renowned bars in Berlin. We worked with their feedback and tried to create an olive oil spirit. We soon figured out that we were the first ones. Being the first one with something feels like being a pioneer. And that feeling is a source of inspiration in itself.
What has been the most challenging part of your distillers journey to date?
To stay sober.
If you could ask a fellow distiller one secret question,who would it be and what would you ask?
No question, but I’d tell George Clooney and Rande Gerber: “f***ing well handled gentleman”.
What’s the best compliment to date you’ve received about your spirit(s)?
“Usually I don’t drink Gin. But I’ll take a bottle.”
What’s the perfect accompaniment to your spirit? Food, music or otherwise?
Chet Baker’s “Almost blue” that accompanies a conversation about the revolution we’ve never joined.. so far.
Straight, mixed, shaken or stirred?
Pure.
Does your preferred tipple reflect your taste in underwear?
I think.. I don’t wear underwear.
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More about Oel3 Gin and where to buy it here: https://oels3gin.de/en/
Olive Oil and other product information here: https://oel-berlin.de/en/