Three Italian regions supply the three botanicals, and there is nothing else in the recipe. Bottega builds Bacur on juniper from Tuscany, sage leaves from the Veneto countryside and Sicilian lemon zest, double distils it with pure Alpine mineral water, and bottles the result at 40% ABV with no sugar added. A recipe this short only works if each part is worth hearing on its own, which is the wager the bottle makes and, for the most part, wins.

Juniper is the first and loudest voice, intense and clean, exactly as a dry gin should open. Sage is the element that makes it memorable: savoury, faintly peppery and unmistakably herbal, it is a kitchen note rather than a perfumed one, and it occupies the middle of the palate where a sweeter gin would put fruit. Sicilian lemon zest lifts the top with a bright peel oil, sharp rather than sugary, and the three take turns rather than blending into a single impression. The Alpine water leaves a texture that stays clean and light, and the absence of sugar leaves the finish properly dry, warm and gently perfumed.

Simplicity that deliberate deserves a serve that respects it. A plain tonic and a well-iced glass is all it needs, with lemon peel as the most faithful finish to the recipe. A single sage leaf is the more interesting choice and doubles the botanical that gives the gin its identity, but use one, not a handful. It is also very good poured neat and barely chilled, which is where the three ingredients separate most clearly. Sugar-free and built from three named origins, it is a bottle that rewards paying attention to what is actually in it. Few gins get this far on three ingredients. It ends dry, herbal and citric, the sage lasting well after the lemon.