Gin: A guide to the world’s greatest gins. Dominic Roskrow

Greenall’s

      ABV: 40%

      REGION AND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Warrington, England

      WEBSITE: www.berkeleysquaregin.com

      BOTANICALS: Juniper, angelica, coriander seeds, cubeb berries, lavender, sage, basil, kaffir lime leaves

      Greenall’s is traditionally a highly respected brewer from the northwest of England, but the company took over the fine distillery in Warrington some years back. It now produces its own range of gins including this one, as well as distilling for others. This gin associates itself with the style and glamour of London’s Mayfair and lays claim to being based on 700 years of tradition. It also draws a parallel between the finely crafted product here and the finest single malts. This is a delicate gin, made using pure water from a source that runs from the Welsh borders to the edge of the Pennines. The lavender, sage, and basil are grown locally, and their aromas are extracted through steeping and then gentle distillation.

Black Shuck

      PRODUCER: Norfolk Sloe Company

      ABV: 43%

      REGION AND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Norfolk, England

      WEBSITE: thenorfolksloecompany.com

      BOTANICALS: Juniper berries, coriander, bitter orange peel with Norfolk lavender and Norfolk sea buckthorn.

      You may recognize the name of this gin from the song by Suffolk hard rock band The Darkness. It refers to a legendary black dog with flaming red eyes that is said to have roamed the land and coast of Suffolk and Norfolk for centuries. Some believe that the dog’s legend stems from Norse mythology, others to a boating accident that claimed the lives of a Saxon and a Danish fisherman. This gin, says the distillery, is the antidote if the Black Shuck is sighted and brings you misfortune. The gin is made with local Norfolk botanicals, and is stylish and impressive, having a distinctive, aromatic taste with some irresistible floral notes.

Blackwater No.5 Gin

      PRODUCER: Blackwater

      ABV: 41.5%

      REGION AND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Waterford, Ireland

      WEBSITE: www.blackwaterdistillery.ie

      BOTANICALS: Juniper, bitter orange, lemon, lemongrass, coriander, liquorice root, angelica root, cinnamon, quills, myrtle pepper, bitter almond, green cardamom, orris root

      Ireland’s first craft gin distillery sits on the banks of the Blackwater River in west Waterford, a county once known for being the largest importer of spice in the country. Today the distillery wishes to keep the essence of Waterford’s colourful history while maintaining the quality and skill to perfect the best gin they can. The man behind this distillery is spirits writer and television producer Peter Mulryan. He’s a no-nonsense sort of guy who doesn’t like gimmicks, so the distillery is deliberately old-school, and everything is done by hand. Pushing and pulling the many levers, taps, handles, and dials takes the distillers longer but they believe that this way they can truly capture their unique style in a bottle.