Our favorite UK gins to attempt
Mainbrace Cornish Dry Gin, £34.99, mainbracerum.com
A clear, zesty Cornish gin with lemon peel notes and an interesting saline edge due to a botanical invoice of coastal components.
Flavour profile: citrus
Botanicals: kelp, dulse, sea spaghetti, juniper, orris, lemon peel, lemon verbena, angelica root, lime peel, lime leaf
Excellent pairing: Attempt in a gimlet.
Norfolk: Bullards Coastal Gin, £38.95, Grasp of Malt
Impressed by the Norfolk shoreline, that is the gin equal to a contemporary sea breeze, with a delicate salty, savoury profile and complicated notes of sea greens, citrus and fennel. We have been additionally impressed with their eco-friendly refill service, which provides 700ml pouches of gin to prime bottles again up (and you may put up the pouch again to Bullards freed from cost for recycling).
Flavour profile: herbaceous
Botanicals: juniper, sea purslane, marsh samphire, sea aster, Douglas fir
Excellent pairing: Attempt in a grimy martini, with a few uncooked oysters alongside.
Suffolk: Fishers Gin, £41.75/70cl, Grasp of Malt
This uncommon gin encompasses a host of uncommon botanicals foraged on the Suffolk coast. Herbaceous and subtly saline on the nostril (we have been reminded of sea greens), it’s barely sweeter to style, with fragrant cardamom notes.
Flavour profile: herbaceous
Botanicals: spignel, rock samphire, wooden avens and lavatory myrtle
Excellent pairing: attempt it in a grimy martini
Yorkshire: Slingsby Gooseberry Gin, £30, Amazon
Slingsby’s rhubarb gin was a success at olive HQ and now the Yorkshire distillery has launched one other tart and zesty winner. Right here, tangily fruity gooseberries (additionally sourced in Yorkshire) marry completely with the citrussy notes of the bottom gin.
Flavour profile: citrus
Botanicals: severn sea rosemary, silver posie thyme, inexperienced and jasmine tea, citrus thyme, backyard thyme, rhubarb, sage, lovage, chervil, nettle, candy cicely, rose hip, angelica, cassia, orris root, coriander, liquorice, grapefruit and juniper
Excellent pairing: the gin’s creamy mouthfeel means it will be beautiful sipped neat with ice, or attempt topping up with some glowing white wine for a spring-like spritz
Warner’s London Dry Gin, £28.25/70cl, The Whisky Change
A wealthy and full-bodied London dry gin made utilizing lemon verbena, lavender and angelica root grown on the distillery’s personal farm, in addition to discarded lemon peel from an area fruit manufacturing unit. It is vibrant with daring juniper and zesty flavours, with a subtly spicy edge.
Flavour profile: Juniper and citrus
Botanicals: Lemon verbena, angelica root, lavender, lemon peel, coriander, elderflower, cinnamon, almond, nutmeg, juniper
Excellent pairing: tonic and a wedge of orange
Lanarkshire: Biggar Gin, £35.63/70cl, Grasp of Malt
This award-winning small-batch gin makes use of botanicals native to the Scottish city of Biggar, the place it’s made. As to be anticipated from a London dry gin it’s received loads of juniper character, in addition to vibrant orange notes, delicate herbaceousness and spice, and a restrained sweetness. It’s additionally tremendous {smooth} to drink, with a lingering end.
Flavour profile: juniper
Botanicals: rowan berry, rosehip, nettle, pink peppercorns, coriander seed, cardamom pods, lavender cassia bark, orris root
Excellent pairing: tonic and some pink peppercorns
Devon: Salcombe Begin Level London Dry Gin, £40.95/70cl, The Whisky Change
The Begin Level lighthouse in Salcombe marked the start of the voyages of the Nineteenth-century fruit schooners that carried unique items from the Azores and Mediterranean to the UK. This produce impressed this super-smooth London dry gin’s flavour. Although earthy juniper is dominant, it’s adopted by vibrant, zingy citrus – in addition to a delicate, warming spice.
Flavour profile: juniper
Botanicals: juniper, coriander seed, ruby grapefruit, lemon, lime, cubeb
Excellent pairing: slice of purple grapefruit
Wiltshire: Ramsbury Gin, £33.50/70cl, Waitrose Cellar
This single-estate gin is made in Wiltshire by a distillery whose ethos could be very a lot grain to glass – the gin’s base spirit is distilled onsite utilizing wheat grown on the Ramsbury property (and chalk-filtered water from their very own aquifer). A beautiful, balanced London dry gin with heady citrus and floral aromas on the nostril and a {smooth}, fruity end.
Flavour profile: citrus
Botanicals: juniper (picked close by on Salisbury plain) and homegrown quince
Excellent pairing: tonic and a twist of orange peel
Cornwall: Tarquin’s Gin, £32.50/70cl, Amazon
That includes 12 botanicals sourced throughout the globe in addition to domestically alongside the Cornish coast, it is a well-balanced gin with all of the traditional botanicals coming by way of on each the nostril and the palate. The juniper is prevalent (appropriately) however a powerful lemony coriander reminds us of a deep pine forest on a scorching summer time stroll – earthy notes and heat orange blossom faintly becoming a member of in. Floral notes from Devon violets solely come by way of after a few sips, however are balanced by the quantity of citrusy and rooty/earthy botanicals mingling round.
Flavour profile: citrus
Botanicals: juniper, coriander seeds, orange, lemon, grapefruit, angelica root, orris root, inexperienced cardamom seeds, bitter almond, cinnamon, liquorice root, violets
Excellent pairing: twist of grapefruit peel
Cambridge: Three Seasons Gin, £90/70cl, Cambridge Distillery
We have come to anticipate nice issues from the Cambridge Distillery and their newest launch does not disappoint. Designed to evoke the altering seasons of an English nation backyard, it is a botanical powerhouse of a gin. That includes native and seasonal components of lemon verbena, blackcurrant leaf and rose, it is contemporary but richly floral, with herbaceous citrus notes, hints of darkish fruits and a posh, evocative end. Sure, it is priced on the steep facet, however with a ravishing bottle it will make a particular present for a gin lover. The extra price range acutely aware ought to attempt their wonderful Cambridge Dry Gin, at £39.99.
Flavour profile: floral and citrus
Botanicals: Lemon verbena, rose, blackcurrant leaf
Excellent pairing: we expect this richly complicated gin would shine in a dry martini.
The Cairgngorms, Caorunn Gin, £28/70cl, Tesco
Distilled and bottled in Scotland, Caorunn firmly takes on the mantle of a nationwide product. The distillery is located within the coronary heart of the Cairngorm Nationwide Park, on the foot of the Haughs of Cromdale. It is impressed by the panorama that surrounded them – Simon Buley (one of many distillers) needed to make use of the traditional abilities and recipes of spirit-making, utilizing age-old Celtic botanicals that develop on the encompassing hills of Balmenach Distillery.
Drunk by itself, the gin is crisp, dry and well-balanced but nonetheless full-bodied. The botanicals bounce out within the palate with spices, citrus and floral notes all working nicely to go with a dry juniper be aware that leaves you with a crisp, clear end.
Flavour profile: floral
Botanicals: juniper, coriander, lemon peel, orange peel, angelica root, cassia bark, rowan berry, heather, dandelion, coul blush apple
Excellent pairing: tonic and skinny wedge of purple apple
Thurso: Rock Rose, £32/70cl, Amazon
Proving the British craft distilling motion has gone all the best way to the northern tip of Scotland, Rock Rose harnesses its regionality in its gin, utilizing native and regional botanicals such sea buckthorn and rhodiola rosea for a vibrant gin filled with fruity berries and a fragile astringency.
Flavour profile: floral
Botanicals: juniper, rose root, sea buckthorn, rowan berries, bilberries, cardamom, coriander seed, verbena
Excellent pairing: tonic and a sprig of rosemary
Surry: Silent Pool Gin, £37.75/70cl, Grasp of Malt
A clear juniper-driven spirit that makes use of a formidable 24 botanicals and contemporary spring water from the Albury Property, the place the gin is made. The top end result has light citrus and perfumed floral notes that make it the right summer time tipple.
Flavour profile: floral
Botanicals: juniper, chamomile, lavender, citrus, honey
Excellent pairing: tonic and a twist of orange peel
Wales: Aber Falls Small Batch, £23.85/70cl, Amazon
Piney juniper and lavender are shock finest friends on this subtly floral quantity that showcases Welsh-inspired botanicals, with peppery notes including to its complexity. One for many who desire sweeter gins.
Flavour profile: floral
Botanicals: lavender, rowan berries, black pepper, juniper, angelica and liquorice
Excellent pairing: tonic and a slice of cucumber
London: Sipsmith London Dry Gin, £29.95/70cl, The Whisky Change
In 2009 the primary new licence to distill in London since 1820 was granted to Sipsmith Impartial Spirits and since then, a raft of latest micro-distilleries have adopted. This unique recipe is daring, complicated and fragrant with a floral nostril adopted by dry juniper and citrus on the palate. A contemporary London dry gin that pays tribute to its metropolis heritage.
Flavour profile: juniper ahead
Botanicals: juniper, angelica root, coriander seed, cassia bark, orris root, floor almond, cinnamon bark, liquorice root, lemon peel, seville orange peel
Excellent pairing: tonic and a wedge of lime, or a couple of coriander seeds
Northern Eire: Boatyard Double Gin, £33.95/70cl, Grasp of Malt
You shouldn’t decide a ebook by its cowl however this {smooth}, juniper- led gin lives as much as its stylish label. It additionally has a touch of floral sweetness due to the wild candy gale that’s foraged from Boatyard’s farm in Fermanagh.
Flavour profile: juniper led
Botanicals: juniper, candy gale, grains of paradise, angelica, lemon, orris, liquorice root, coriander
Excellent pairing: tonic and a twist of orange peel and juniper berries
Make your personal gin
So that you like consuming gin? However how about making your personal?
Infuse your personal gin with festive flavours, wrap it up good and provides it to a particular somebody. It is a distinctive and considerate present that is very easy to make.
