Timut pepper does not taste like pepper. It comes from the Himalayan foothills, and its first impression is grapefruit: a clear, unmistakable citrus aroma arriving before any heat does, which makes it the strangest peppercorn in the trade and the obvious centre of a gin. Birdie Spirit Factory builds this one on it at 44% and the 2023 World Gin Awards gave it a gold in the signature botanical category.

Because the pepper already smells of citrus, the fruit in the recipe reinforces rather than contrasts. Pink grapefruit zest leads and the Timut doubles it from underneath, and the two together are why the aroma is as insistent as it is. Lime follows, sharper and greener, with an exotic passionfruit note appearing alongside. Then the flowers arrive: Damascus rose is heady and properly perfumed, peppermint cool and clean, and between them they lift everything without sweetening it. Across the palate the attack is fresh and spicy at once, a lemony spice running through the middle with a suggestion of white ginger behind it, and the texture stays smooth throughout. The finish is where the Timut finally behaves like a pepper: long, zesty and faintly electric, with the tingling that variety is known for.

A tingling finish is easy to lose in a big glass. Neutral tonic, ice packed tight, and a firm pour so the pepper reaches the end. Pink grapefruit peel stays nearest the recipe; a mint sprig follows the floral half instead. A short undiluted measure repays the effort, since the citrus and the heat separate there. A pepper that arrives as a fruit is worth the trouble of finding. Most signature botanicals are chosen for a story; this one was chosen because it does something no other spice can. It closes zesty, spiced and tingling.