Sipsmith London Dry Gin (700ml)

"A near-perfect classic style gin... pretty much as good as it gets." 5/5 - theginisin.com

Established in 2009, Sipsmith boast to being the first copper-pot based distillery to start up in London in 189 years. One of only four gin distilleries located within the city limits, it's situated on a residential street in West London on the site of a former microbrewery (also the site which later became the office of famous beer hunter and whisky writer, Michael Jackson). Using an English barley mash created off-site, the company employs a German swan-necked copper-pot still which the proprietors named 'Prudence'. She's caricatured on the brand's labels as a stylised pot-still with a swan’s neck and head.

Sipsmith's London Dry is made using ten botanicals: Macedonian juniper berries, Bulgarian coriander seed, French angelica root, Spanish liquorice root, Italian orris root, Spanish ground almond, Chinese cassia bark, Madagascan cinnamon, Sevillian orange peel and Spanish lemon peel. If the botanicals seem rather commonplace by contemporary gin standards, the company vouches for their freshness, which is an often underestimated factor in gin production. Quite simply, the fresher the ingredients, the more potent the flavour infusion will be. Companies producing gin on a grand scale, such as Beefeater or Gordon’s simply can’t secure the quantities of botanicals required in fresh form for year round production. Water purity is also considered key. Batches are made 400 bottles at a time.

Geraldine Coates, who has written books about gin and runs the website ‘Gintime’, also considers the size and flexibility of new micro-distilleries like Sipsmith to be their real point of interest."It means they are producing the equivalent to caviar as opposed to tuna fish," she explains.

With its fairly classic London Dry botanical bill, Sipsmith's taste is predictable yet satisfying. The nose offers a restrained elegance - fresh juniper is the initial focus followed by hints of citrus peel, lavender and rosemary. A soft entry leads into a light to medium bodied mid palate that's gently spicy, almost creamy in texture and building in concentration with flavours of juniper and citrus lozenge. The balance is perfect, the finish pristine, persistent and refreshingly dry. Altogether an understated and stylish gin straight-up that also adds a creaminess to G&Ts. Recommended. 41.6% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... Made with 10 internationally sourced botanicals—Seville orange peel, Italian orris root, et al.—this gin rings with plenty of juniper and licorice upfront, followed by lavender and citrus peel. Finishes smooth and mellow. 90 points - wineenthusiast.com

As London Dry gins go, Sipsmith is a quieter, sweeter example. The nose is mild, with the citrus notes easily overwhelming the juniper. The latter is more present on the body, but even there it’s kept in check by cinnamon sugar, some woody root notes, and, surprisingly, those almonds. The finish is more sweet than tart, and the spirit drinks far more sedately than its slightly overproof alcohol level would indicate. Worth a try, particularly in more fanciful gin-based cocktails. - drinkhacker.com