Why is Nolet’s Reserve Gin so Expensive?

A lavishly presented bottle of Nolet’s Reserve Gin (Photo: Nolet Distillery)

Nolet’s Reserve Gin is a premium 52.3%-ABV gin produced by family-owned Nolet Distillery, located in South Holland. The gin is recommended to be exclusively enjoyed neat — or with a few ice cubes in “quiet solitude,” according to the gin producer.

Priced at $700 per 750mL, Nolet’s Reserve is easily one of the most expensive gins currently in production.

Why $700?

Of course, Nolet doesn’t reveal every step in production that leads up to the $700 price tag, but a few points of interest certainly stand out. For example, the gin’s premiere botanical, saffron, is one of the world’s most expensive spices. Saffron costs about $8 per gram, so using it for spirit manufacturing is quite a pricey pursuit. Other botanicals used in the gin include the necessary juniper and verbena.

Furthermore, every batch of Nolet’s Reserve is quality tested by the gin’s creator, Carolus Nolet, Sr., 10th generation distillery owner. Each bottle is then numbered by hand and presented in a “prestigious box,” per the brand. Time is, as we know, of the essence and Nolet appears to go above and beyond in ensuring the quality of its gin, including time-consuming details and the involved efforts of its founder.

Too Expensive to Taste?

How can a spirits critic authentically review the gin if its price makes it challenging to acquire? Possibly due to its $700 price tag and once-a-year distribution, Nolet’s Reserve’s pool of credible reviews is slim to… one.

In the internet’s sea of spirit tasters, only one reliable review can be found for Nolet’s Reserve: The Gin Is In presents the luxury spirit four stars out of five, stating, “it is good, and memorable- and a worthy novelty for those who can afford its lofty price point to seek it out.”

Nolet’s Reserve Gin certainly fascinates by being at the far end of the premium gin spectrum, but it’s still difficult to justify the investment. Especially when there are other premium gins out there for a far lower price.

But if other gins just don’t do it for you and you need to try Nolet’s Reserve right now without actually buying it, consider serving the brand’s more affordable Silver Dry Gin with a saffron strand and verbena leaf garnish. Just, please, don’t let Nolet Distillery know we told you to do this.

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