Nose: The additional abv is immediately apparent, but well-tempered by a huge whack of citrus. After the initial hit of juniper and citrus, the spices are easily accessible – far more so than in the standard Bathtub. Top-notes of Cinnamon and Cardamom are supported by the earthier Coriander and Clove. Overall, this is one of the best noses on any gin I’ve yet to experience.
Palate: Huge, mouth-filling, oily and complex. The initial burst of flavour comes courtesy of the spices – Cardamom, Cinnamon, then follows the Citrus and Juniper backbone, before settling into a wonderful melange of that Coriander and Clove combination. Absolutely fantastic.
Finish: Incredibly long and lingering, with the cinnamon and clove jostling for position for literally minutes after the initial sip.
Overall: We talk about ‘sipping gins’ all the time, but I’m not convinced anyone is actually buying it. This, my friends, is the exception. An absolutely ridiculously flavour-packed spirit, far beyond the reaches of what would be possible using distillation alone as a method of manufacture. Just remarkable…