Article 1 of 3 · From Henrik Nerst · Founder

How I make gin

A letter from Henrik Nerst on raw ingredients, the precise cut, and the Nordic philosophy behind the bottle.

My name is Henrik Nerst. I make gin on Bornholm. And I want to tell you exactly how I do it — and why it makes a difference in your glass.

01 — It starts with the raw ingredients

Wheat, water, and nothing left to chance

I use a wheat-based neutral spirit at 96% ABV, distilled five times before it reaches my column. Wheat is flavour-neutral — it carries the botanicals instead of competing with them. It isn't the cheapest option. But it's the right one.

The base spirit makes up 30% of my distillation. The rest — 70% — is water from Bornholm. Our water is soft and clean in a way that's hard to find elsewhere. Hard minerals dull the botanical notes and leave a roughness that no technique can remove afterwards. I start clean. That means my gin is clean.

02 — The cut is what sets us apart

This is where quality is won or lost

When you distil, you produce three things: heads, heart, and tails. The heads are discarded entirely. They contain methanol — directly harmful. But where you draw the line varies. I go further than necessary. I won't risk even a drop of the heads finding its way into the heart.

The heart is the only part I keep. It begins at around 91% ABV and falls gradually as the botanicals give their flavour to the vapour. EU law requires a cut at 65% ABV. I cut at 85%. It costs me yield on every single batch. But the tails contain the resinous, heavy notes that give cheap gin its pine-like bitterness. It's exactly that bitterness you won't find in a bottle of ENE Organic Gin – Original Dry.

03 — The Nordic philosophy

Balance over dominance

I call it the Nordic style. It isn't a marketing term — it's a stance. No single flavour is allowed to take over. Juniper should taste of juniper: fresh and aromatic. Sea buckthorn should taste of sea buckthorn. Elderflower of elderflower. Together they create something no single ingredient could create alone — it's the philosophy behind our WILD Botanicals Gin, where every wild botanical needs to be tasted in its own right.

It's only possible because I cut the tails early. The late compounds drown out the delicate notes. By removing them, I preserve the gin's finer qualities — the things that make it worth drinking slowly.

04 — And the morning after

Not magic — just done right

Many hangovers aren't caused by the alcohol itself. They're caused by congeners — methanol and fusel alcohols from the heads and tails. Because I discard generously at both ends, these compounds are absent from my finished spirit.

People tell me my gin sits lighter than others. I'm glad to hear it. But it isn't magic — it's simply the result of doing it right. If you'd like to taste the difference for yourself, you can book a tour and tasting with us on Bornholm.