Debuted last year, the Hungarian handicraft gin brand, Opera Gin Budapest, has achieved vast recognition within a short period of time. The professionally recognizable taste of the Hungarian spirit was introduced by the First Hungarian Gin Manufacture Plc., a distillery at Újpest industrial site.
Opera Gin Budapest recently won the international product design competition Red Dot Award in the Brand and Communication category with its label and packaging designed by Graphasel Design Studio. It became the first gin ever to win this award.
The spirit
This is a London Dry-type gin with 45 percent alcohol, implying that Opera Gin Budapest is crafted with strict regulations. The distilling process uses classic ingredients such as angelica root, orris root, coriander seeds, and grapefruit peel, combined with unusual spices like cubeba pepper and lavender. The juniper in the gin is obtained from a domestic source in Kiskunság region.
The manufacturer aimed to infuse the drink with a distinct Hungarian twist. The unique touch that accompanies the gin’s juniper-citrus flavor profile is achieved through addition of poppy seeds in the recipe.
The story
The name Opera Gin Budapest was chosen for the drink because the family of the founder has been living near the Opera in Budapest for about a century. First Hungarian Gin Manufacture was founded in 2018, to become the first distillery in the country to produce “gin” exclusively.
The logo and label on the drink includes elements from the Opera as well, including the sign of the Opera metro station and the building’s iconic Sphinx statue.
