Cygnet 22 Gin 70cl
Cygnet 22 is the gin that Cygnet Distillery pours when it wants to show off, a small-batch expression built around 22 botanicals with lavender and citrus at its heart. It is Welsh gin with genuine ambition.
Cygnet was founded in Swansea by a family with roots in the local trade, distilling in small batches on the South Wales coast. The 22 is their flagship, a recipe that stacks up considerably more botanicals than the standard London Dry blueprint, leaning into floral and herbal complexity rather than a straight juniper hit.
The nose opens with lavender, orange peel and soft coriander seed, with juniper sitting just behind rather than out front. On the palate it is smooth and rounded, layering floral notes over warm baking spice and a citrus lift that carries into a gently peppery finish. There is a lot going on, yet it stays balanced rather than busy.
This is a gin for slow sipping and considered cocktails rather than a workhorse for the drinks cabinet. At around £60 it is priced as a premium bottle, and while the botanical range is impressive, it rewards drinkers who want aroma and nuance over classic dry austerity.
How to Serve
Pour over plenty of ice with a premium light tonic and a twist of orange to lift the citrus. A copa glass shows the aromatics best.
Where to Drink It
The American Bar at The Savoy, for a proper gin serve. Swift in Soho, whose ground-floor bar does aromatic gins well. Satan's Whiskers in Bethnal Green, for an inventive twist.
Food Pairings
Salmon gravadlax, or a plate of soft goat's cheese with honey.
