The Botanist Islay Dry Gin 70cl

Twenty-two botanicals go into The Botanist, and nine of them are foraged by hand from the hills and shorelines of Islay itself — the island far better known for its smoky whisky than its gin. That local plunder is the whole point.

It comes from Bruichladdich, the Islay distillery, and it is distilled slowly in a battered old Lomond still nicknamed the “Ugly Betty”. The pace matters: a long, low-temperature distillation coaxes out the delicate herbal and floral character of the wild botanicals rather than boiling it into oblivion. Bottled at a generous 46% ABV, it has real presence for a gin.

The nose is a garden in full swing — bright citrus, a cool thread of menthol and flowers seemingly everywhere. The palate opens cool and composed before warmth builds, citrus keeping everything fresh and lifted through the middle. It closes long, with a genuine hit of spice. There is a lot going on here without any of it feeling crowded.

At around £44 this sits above supermarket gin, and it earns the gap. The complexity is real, and the 46% strength means it stands up in a proper G&T rather than vanishing under tonic. This is a gin for people who actually taste what they drink.

How to Serve

Pour over plenty of ice with a good, dry tonic and a sprig of mint or thyme rather than a wedge of lemon — let the herbal side lead. Neat and lightly chilled, it also makes a thoughtful martini for the botanically curious.

Where to Drink It

Swift in Soho pours gin with real intent downstairs. The Connaught Bar for a martini treated as an event. Satan's Whiskers in Bethnal Green if you want it shaken into something inventive.

Food Pairings

A martini made with this alongside a plate of native oysters is hard to beat — the salinity and the wild herbs seem to have grown up together. Cured salmon works beautifully too.