Cornish distiller launches Fibonacci-inspired gin at Fortnum & Mason, blending mathematics, nature and innovation

A new gin inspired by mathematics and nature has launched at Fortnum & Mason this October, just ahead of the Christmas season. Aureus Vita, a high-strength dry gin, has been developed by chemist-turned-distiller John Hall, founder of Trevethan Distillery in Cornwall. 

The spirit is crafted using a pioneering new technique known as the Fibonacci-Hall Distillation Method, which applies the golden ratio (1.618) to each stage of production. Using the Fibonacci sequence (a mathematical pattern found throughout nature, art and architecture) as the conceptual backbone for Aureas Vita, Hall has drawn on his background in chemistry to develop a unique distillation process that he claims results in a more complex and harmonious flavour profile. The the golden ratio is incorporated at multiple production stages, from the proportions of alcohol to water, to botanical blends and even the design of the still itself. The Fibonacci-Hall Still, a patent-pending prototype, is currently the only one of its kind and was designed and built in Cornwall. According to the distillery, the result is a sequential tasting experience, with ten distinct flavour notes emerging in a precise order – considerably more than the two or three typically found in standard gins. 

Aureus Vita, Latin for “golden way of life”, is presented in a bottle that reflects its mathematical inspiration, retailing at £175 per 70cl with an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 61.8%. It is distilled once a year to coincide with the harvest of its signature botanicals – juniper and baobab pulp – which Hall uses within three months of harvesting to ensure peak freshness. The gin is described as more viscous than typical white spirits and is intended to be sipped neat, served in a martini, or enjoyed in a classic gin and tonic. Several suggested cocktails have been developed to highlight the its unique characteristics, including the AV Martini and the Golden Martini, both of which incorporate the golden ratio in their recipes.

“Aureus Vita has been created to challenge,” says Hall, “I wanted to give people something they could enjoy, yet push boundaries at the same time. Something new. Something that defies everything you thought that gin could be”.

Food Desk

Aureus Vita is now available to purchase online and in-store at Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER. For further information or to order, visit here.