The Botanist Islay Dry Gin is created at the Bruichladdich distillery. This superb Islay gin was distilled in the 'ugly betty' still described as "an oversized upside-down dustbin made of copper" by Tom Morton. It has perhaps the best looking packaging we've ever seen for a gin. It's not all style and no substance either. Botanist is a world-class gin set at a proper ABV.
A huge 31 botanicals go into The Botanist, 22 of which are foraged and native to Islay. The full list of botanicals is as follows: angelica root, apple mint, birch leaves, bog myrtle leaves, cassia bark, chamomile, cinnamon bark, coriander seed, creeping thistle flowers, elder flowers, gorse flowers, heather flowers, hawthorn flowers, juniper berries, lady's bedstraw flowers, lemon balm, lemon peel, liquorice root, meadow sweet, orange peel, oris root, peppermint leaves, mugwort leaves, red clover flowers, tansy, thyme leaves, water mint leaves, white clover, wood sage leaves. Phew!
Enough botanicals to make us wish we had five noses. Big notes of citrus, delicate menthol and flowers everywhere!
Cool at first. It quickly mellows out, warmth growing with citrus keeping it fresh throughout.
Long, with a good spice.
Islay isn't just about the whisky anymore. The Botanist Gin is top-notch.
Better than most.
I spent decades detesting gin. Nasty medicine. The Botanist is a completely new and friendly animal, though, with a variety of fascinating botanicals (from my favorite island that I've not yet visited.) Even this: Make a Martini or a Gibson and use The Botanist in place of Vermouth. It's hard to imagine anything finer. OK, a glass of Octomore may be better, but that's a different sort of delight. Incidentally, if your chums drink Martinis, show your Alpha status by drinking Gibsons. Go for the best onions, of course (I will avoid that argument at the moment.) Strong, sturdy, absolutely marvelous! Naturally, if you are a male -- what's better than having one, two or even three onions? Woo hoo!!! Cheers!
The smoothness mixes with the unique flavors- specific to its place of origin- are exquisite. If you have never been a gin drinker this will give you a passion for gin. Wonderful cool feeling and a bite at the end. No aftertaste, no residual smell left in your nostrils long after you swallow, it's tasty enough to drink without anything added in. Quite the combination of great taste and exceptional quality. Bravo!
I love the blend of botanicals, with a nice it of juniper and a smooth finish. It's swell with tonic and a twist of lime, but it's also good with a little water and ginger syrup. Can't wait to put it with some chartreuse. Good stuff.
We tried it as g&t with lime and with cucumber and decided it was so good it didn't need anything, just a good tonic. Between lime and cucumber, go with cucumber.
