Dingle Gin, 70cl

An original family recipe lives on in Hayman’s Old Tom. Clean and fresh in its flavours with a history dating back to the 1860s, Old Tom uses the same ten botanicals it always has. It stands out from others in the Hayman’s collection due to the intensity of the botanicals within and the addition of sugar for sweetness. Juniper and orange zest work together to introduce the drink and by the end you’ll be enjoying cracked black pepper in a clean, long finish.

Miller’s Dry Gin is distilled using traditional pot maceration methods and using many of the trademark ingredients you’d expect in a quality gin. Of exceptional quality Miller’s is shipped to Iceland once in concentrated distillate form and there it is blended with fresh cucumber flavouring and natural glacial water from the Selyri Spring. This adds a complex and refreshing flavour to the gin and brings out the natural flavours of the botanicals which include juniper, cassia, liquorice root, coriander and cinnamon bark.

Made in a copper still over 150 years old, Plymouth gin has a well matured, authentic and enjoyable dry gin flavour. Plymouth is made using no bitter botanicals and it’s the aromatic pine-driven juniper that comes first followed by lavender and camphor with a touch of lemon zest. On first sip a zing of lavender hits first and lemon and orange soon follow, with earthy notes bringing the drink into a mellow finish. Refreshing yet steeped in subtle flavours, a classic gin for your favourite cocktail.

An Irish vodka that deserves your attention, Dingle Distillery Vodka is distilled five times to deliver a smooth, sensuous flavour. Pure as they come, each glass of DDV is beautifully smooth and has a creaminess to its texture which makes you want to go back for more. Its palate is soft and lightly lemon flavoured with a real deep mineral edge, derived from spring water used in its production. It’s this mineral character that really stands out and gives the drink real spirit.

The Cotswolds Distillery in Stourton is up and running - hooray! This is their Cotswolds Dry Gin, made with juniper, coriander and angelica root macerated in their pure wheat spirit for 24 hours. Following this, they add a botanical selection including bay leaf, grapefruit, lime, black pepper, cardamom seed and Cotswolds lavender to their carter head still for distillation. To bring it down to bottling strength, a robust 46% ABV, they use naturally refined Cotswolds water.

ROKU is Japanese for six, named after the six natural Japanese botanicals that Roku is made with, which take you on a tour of the Japanese seasons. Spring is represented by both Sakura (cherry blossom) flowers & leaves, Natsu (Japan's Summer) provides the Sencha & Gyokuro (two types of green tea), Autumn brings the Japanese pepper and Winter, the Yuzu. The eclectic mix of botanicals results in a spirit with rich character. Notes of cherry blossom are quickly followed by green tea, smokey leaves and a light bitter finish. Unusual and unexpected, this is a must-try for any gin lover, adn the Japanese rice paper label makes it a classy and smart addition to the gin shelf.

A high-strength interpretation of the 18th-century staple, with bold notes of Juniper & naturally sweet Liquorice Root, alongside a modern flourish of vaccum-distilled Spanish Sweet Orange Peels, which accentuate this classic sweeter gin.

Jameson Caskmates is an intriguing release. Having sent some of their casks to the local craft stout brewers at Franciscan Well, the casks were returned to Midleton where they were subsequently used to give a stout finish to Jameson! We tasted it before it was available in the UK when we visited Cork just before St. Patrick's Day 2015, and we know that some of the fine folk at Irish Distillers were worried that it may be seen as a bit of a gimmick. Perhaps to an extent it is, but more importantly, it works - a worthwhile experiment that's produced a unique and interesting Irish whiskey.

An African craft gin from Procera, distilled in Nairobi with 10 botanicals, all sourced from across Africa, including Madagascan pink pepper and Moroccan orris root. However, the most important botanical here is a relatively unseen species of juniper, Juniper Procera (most gins use Juniper Communis), also known as African juniper as it only grows in the highlands of Kenya and Ethiopia. This different variety gives the gin a nuttier, earthier backbone. After distillation, the gin is bottled into stunning hand-blown bottles, also produced in Nairobi. A truly unique gin.