NUTMEG FRUIT IS A VITAL BOTANICAL. SO YOU SEE, IT WORKS OUT FOR EVERYONE.
Jim Ryan
The nutmeg plant is a tropical evergreen tree. The tree doesn’t begin to bear fruit until it is about eight years old and may produce up to 1,000 fruits annually. These trees will bear fruit for 20-40 years. Once the fruit is ready to be harvested it splits open from the bottom and reveals a brilliant red aril which is mace. The aril surrounds a hard dark brown shell that protects the nutmeg seed. The fruit is collected. Mace and nutmeg are collected and separated while the fruit is considered a byproduct and is generally discarded in a pile on the jungle floor. Nutmeg fruit has been discarded for centuries which contributes to greenhouse gas production.
Assigning value to this fruit by upcycling, we are able to reduce carbon emissions, create new revenue streams for nutmeg farmers, and harness the essence of the nutmeg tree’s bounty. In Myris, nutmeg fruit is a vital botanical. So you see it works out for everyone.
One tree + three botanicals
= 1 bottle of Myris
Single origin nutmeg fruit is sourced from Zanzibar and it is dried to preserve the bright citric flavors it possesses. Along with the Zanzibari nutmeg fruit, nutmeg seed and mace from Indonesia are transported to our distillery partner in the North Fork of Long Island, New York. These botanicals are then macerated (rested) in a non-GMO alcohol solution for 48 hours to extract every bit of flavor and aroma possible. The macerate is then poured into a copper still, which is then heated and distilled under watchful eyes for around 8 hours. The essence of Nutmeg is harnessed here. Once the final cut of the distillate is made, it rests in glass demijohns for a period of two weeks. The distillate is “proofed” with water and alcohol. Finally, it is sweetened with a shelf stable sugar and bottled.
Zanzibar. The Spice Island. A convergence of Middle Eastern and Indian cultures. The name alone conjures images of fragrant spice markets, winding cobblestone streets of Stonetown, Ottoman Empire ruins and Indian Ocean eccentricity. A fit starting point for the exotically familiar to begin. In the center of the main island in the Zanzibar island chain, surrounded by ancient Ottoman ruins, and in the center of a jungle, rests a modest farm operated by Mister Sio and his family. Their main crop is nutmeg and they’ve been at it for generations.
Across the globe, in Brooklyn, New York lives a passionate individual with drive and professional experience to back it up. Enter Jim Ryan. Given the chance, he’ll spin the finest yarn of an obsession he’s been possessed with for the past four years. He’s definitely not the first to be passionate about his obsession – nutmeg.
Myris is the brainchild of one Jim Ryan, who’s nothing short of obsessive when it comes to botanicals and fruit in particular. Jim is someone who’s dedicated his adult life to the drinks industry, from multiple angles. Whether it was developing drinks for fine dining establishments in New York or traveling the extenses of the globe and spreading the good word as an Ambassador to Hendrick’s Gin, Jim has always been curious about exotic fruits. From childhood, he fondly recalls enjoying summer afternoons in his grandmother’s midwest suburban backyard gorging himself on the black raspberries, plums, apricots, and peaches he’d plucked from her modest yet bountiful garden.
Myris takes a serving of Jim’s passion and drive for the curious, adds a measure of his spirits industry experience, finishes it with eco conscious sensibility, and wraps it up in a stunning package.
