Sipsmith London Dry Gin

Sipsmith began in 2009 with a small copper still called Prudence and a licence that took the best part of two years to win — no one had been granted a copper pot still licence in London since 1820. That fight is a good part of the reason the modern London gin scene exists at all.

Ten botanicals go in. Juniper leads, with coriander seed, angelica and orris root, liquorice, ground almond, cassia, cinnamon, and Seville orange and lemon peel behind it. They steep overnight in the spirit before distillation, which draws the oils out gently rather than stripping them.

The gin is made one-shot. The still is charged with exactly the botanicals needed for the final bottled strength, and what runs off is the gin — nothing is cut with neutral spirit afterwards. Most large producers distil a concentrate and dilute it later, which is cheaper and yields far more bottles per run. One-shot gives up that capacity on purpose.

What you taste is classical rather than clever. Juniper is properly forward — piney, dry, a little peppery — with citrus peel lifting it and the almond and liquorice filling in underneath so it never turns austere. At 41.6% it has the backbone for a Martini and enough aromatic weight to survive tonic. The finish is dry and long.

If you keep only one gin in the house, this is a very defensible choice.

How to Serve

A Martini, stirred, with a lemon twist — this is what the gin is for. For a G&T use a plain tonic and a wedge of pink grapefruit rather than lime, which flatters the Seville orange. Neat over ice works better than you would expect.

Where to Drink It

Dukes Bar in St James's for the coldest Martini in London. Boisdale if there is dinner attached to the evening. Black Rock in Shoreditch when you want rather less starch.

Food Pairings

Smoked trout pâté on rye — the juniper cuts the fat and the lemon twist finishes the job. A decent pork pie in a beer garden is the other correct answer, and nobody should apologise for it.