The curse of shadows and thorns is a legend that has been passed down through generations. It tells the story of a powerful sorceress who was betrayed by her love and turned to darkness. According to the tale, the sorceress was known for her beauty and kind heart. She possessed the power to control shadows and manipulate thorns. This made her feared by many, but she used her abilities for good, always helping those in need. However, her love for a handsome prince brought about her downfall.
One of the key botanicals in Sharish Blue Magic is Clitoria ternatea. More commonly known as Butterfly Pea it is a plant species belonging to the Fabaceae family. This plant is native to tropical equatorial Asia, but has been introduced to Africa, Australia and America. It is a perennial herbaceous plant, with elliptic, obtuse leaves. It grows as a vine or creeper, doing well in moist, neutral soil. The most striking feature about this plant is the color of its flowers, a vivid deep blue; solitary, with light yellow markings.
Due to the diferent characteristics and points of evaporation, the botanicals slowly distillate separately, allowing a greater quality in the final distillation. This delightful colour changing blue to pink gin is distilled in a traditional portuguese copper still, and it uses a combination of 9 botanicals carefully selected Juniper, Cinnamon, Coriander seeds, Clove, Vanilla, Orange Peel, Lemon Peel, Bravo Esmolfe Apple PDO Protected designation of origin and Lemon verbena.
However, her love for a handsome prince brought about her downfall. The prince was enchanted by her beauty, but his heart belonged to another. Jealous and consumed by anger, the sorceress made a dangerous pact with dark forces to win back his love.
Sharish Gin Blue Magic
This delightful colour changing blue to pink gin is distilled in a traditional portuguese copper still, and it uses a combination of 9 botanicals carefully selected: Juniper, Cinnamon, Coriander seeds, Clove, Vanilla, Orange Peel, Lemon Peel, Bravo Esmolfe Apple PDO (Protected designation of origin) and Lemon verbena. to produce a sensational and attractive gin.
A new portuguese gin produced in Alentejo by António Cuco gets its name because of the village MONSARAZ. “Sharish” means ‘xara’ or ‘jara’, which is the Cistus ladanifer, used during the muslim presence. So Mont Sharish means hill raised in an impenetrable amount of cistus, giving origin to the name Monsaraz.
Distilled in a traditional portuguese copper still it uses a combination of 9 botanicals carefully selected: Juniper, Cinnamon, Coriander seeds, Clove, Vanilla, Orange Peel, Lemon Peel, Bravo Esmolfe Apple PDO (Protected designation of origin) and Lemon verbena . With the particularity that the last four botanicals are used fresh. Due to the diferent characteristics and points of evaporation, the botanicals slowly distillate separately, allowing a greater quality in the final distillation. During the process, all the impurities are removed so the result is as limpid as possible.
GIN SHARISH it’s a smooth gin with a unique aroma. Very citric specialy from the orange zest and a sweet flavour from the Bravo Esmolfe Apple and from the vanilla. The juniper it’s also easy to identify considering the softer notes of cloves and coriander seeds. At the final we can taste a little spike coming from the Lemon verbena.
António Cuco and his Gin Sharish not cease to amaze and now present Sharish – Blue Magic.
Among the botanicals we can find strawberries, raspberries, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon, angelica root, ginger, licorice, coriander seeds and clear juniper. The star of this new Gin it’s a flower named Clitoria ternatea that gives the Gin a blue tone without the use of artificial coloring. According to the producer this Gin has a “magic touch” because when added to tonic water the mixture of liquids passes from blue to a light pink. This new release celebrates the first year of life of the Sharish project in the best way.
So what makes it blue and why does it turn pink when you add tonic water?
One of the key botanicals in Sharish Blue Magic is Clitoria ternatea. More commonly known as Butterfly Pea it is a plant species belonging to the Fabaceae family. This plant is native to tropical equatorial Asia, but has been introduced to Africa, Australia and America. It is a perennial herbaceous plant, with elliptic, obtuse leaves. It grows as a vine or creeper, doing well in moist, neutral soil. The most striking feature about this plant is the color of its flowers, a vivid deep blue; solitary, with light yellow markings.
The blue pigment which comes from the Butterfly Pea during the distillation process changes with alterations in pH level (i’e with the addition of acid or alkaline). In the instance of gin and tonic the tonic water contains citric acid which when added to the gin alters the pH level and therefore turns the drink from blue to pink.
Different tonic waters will have different levels of pH and as such you may find when adding tonic water to the gin you will see varying shades of pink in the finished drink depending on what tonic water you use.
In the video below we used 1724 natural tonic water which does have added citric acid in it. A brand like Thomas Henry or one of the others we stock at Hammonds of Knutsford might give a different result.
Why not share your results with us on twitter using our handle @hammondsofkford also including @sharishgin
Sharish Gin – Perfect Serve
- Take a large coppa glass
- Fill with decent sized cubes of fresh ice
- Add a 50ml measure of Sharish Blue Magic Gin
- Add 150ml of tonic water poured slowly down a bar spoon onto the ice
- Add a slice of fresh orange or a slice of freshly sliced red apple
- Give the finished drink 1 stir clockwise and settle back and enjoy.
In exchange for her soul, the sorceress gained even greater powers over shadows and thorns. But the darkness corrupted her, twisting her once kind heart into a vengeful and cruel one. She became a terror to the kingdom, spreading darkness and casting curses on anyone who crossed her path. The curse of shadows caused those unfortunate enough to be targeted by the sorceress to be consumed by their own fears and insecurities. The shadows would whisper taunts and doubts in their ears, driving them insane. The curse of thorns, on the other hand, surrounded its victims with a thorny barrier, trapping them in a never-ending cycle of pain and suffering. The people of the kingdom lived in fear of the sorceress and her curses. They sought ways to break the curse, but the sorceress was too powerful to be defeated. Desperate, they turned to a wise old sage for guidance. The sage revealed that the only way to break the curse was through the power of love and forgiveness. The sorceress could only be defeated if someone was able to see past her darkness and love her unconditionally. This seemed like an impossible task, but the people held on to hope. Years passed, and many tried and failed to break the curse. Until one day, a young orphan girl entered the kingdom. Her heart was pure and free from darkness. She saw the sorceress for who she truly was, a wounded soul in need of healing and redemption. With unwavering love and forgiveness, the girl approached the sorceress and broke the curse of shadows and thorns. The sorceress was overcome with remorse and chose to sacrifice herself to undo the damage she had caused. Through her sacrifice, peace was restored to the kingdom, and the curse of shadows and thorns was finally lifted. The tale serves as a reminder of the power of love and forgiveness, and the consequences of letting darkness consume our hearts..
Reviews for "The Curse of Shadows and Thorns: Fact or Fiction?"
1. Emma - 2 out of 5 stars - I have to say, I was really disappointed with "Curse of Shadows and Thorns". The plot felt overly predictable and the characters lacked depth. It felt like I've read this story a hundred times before. The world-building was also quite weak, leaving many unanswered questions and inconsistencies. Overall, it just didn't engage me and I struggled to finish it.
2. Alex - 1 out of 5 stars - I couldn't wait for "Curse of Shadows and Thorns" to be over. The writing was uninspiring and the pacing was incredibly slow. The author tried to create an intricate plot, but it just fell flat. The characters were unlikable and lacked any real development. The whole story felt convoluted and confusing. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an exciting and well-crafted fantasy novel.
3. Sarah - 2.5 out of 5 stars - "Curse of Shadows and Thorns" had so much potential, but it failed to deliver. The world-building was interesting, but the execution was lacking. The story seemed to drag on with unnecessary details and repetitive dialogue. The characters were one-dimensional and many of their actions felt forced. While the concept was intriguing, the execution fell short, making it a forgettable read for me.
4. Mark - 2 out of 5 stars - I had high expectations for "Curse of Shadows and Thorns", but unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype. The pacing was inconsistent, with some parts feeling rushed and others dragging on. The plot was predictable, offering very few surprises. The writing style was also lackluster, making it hard for me to fully immerse myself in the story. Overall, it was a disappointing read that I wouldn't recommend to fellow fantasy lovers.