Marula is the fruit elephants are said to seek out, and its reputation is louder than its flavour. That turns out to be an advantage here: a fruit with a modest voice can be built into a recipe without taking it over, and Marula Gin uses it for roundness rather than for sweetness. Made in Belgium at 40%.

Between the two halves, the floral one speaks louder. Lavender is cool and aromatic, orange blossom heavier and sweeter, and rose petals sit between them with a softer perfume, and together the three give the aroma its elegance and its lift. Juniper stays clearly identifiable underneath, providing the structure that a New Western recipe still requires, and coriander adds a light seed spice through the middle. Citrus impressions brighten the top without any fruit being named for them. The marula arrives last and quietly, contributing a gentle exotic fruit tone that folds into the recipe instead of perching above it, and the restraint is deliberate: a stronger fruit would have pushed the flowers out of the way. Smooth and balanced describes it honestly, and the finish is clean with a floral trace that lingers.

Subtlety of this kind is easily lost. Neutral tonic works, and a lightly citrus-forward one works too, since the recipe leaves room for it. Ice the glass properly and pour normally. Orange peel follows the blossom, while a rose petal makes the more theatrical choice. Cocktails suit it provided the floral and fruit nuances are meant to stay in the background rather than lead the drink. Naming a gin after its quietest ingredient is a confident thing to do. Most fruit gins are named after the loudest thing in the bottle; this one is not. Most fruit gins are named after the loudest thing in the bottle; this one is named after the quietest, which is a confident thing to do. It ends floral, fruity, clean.