Salt, lettuce and coffee all appear on this botanical list, which is not a combination anyone would arrive at by aiming for a conventional gin. Gin Lovers built Lisboa around the idea of the city rather than around a style, and the yellow tram on the bottle is the only part of that idea that stays decorative. Bottled at 41% in 70 cl.

The classical half is orthodox enough: juniper, coriander and angelica root form the base, with nutmeg, vanilla, ginger and cinnamon supplying warmth and clove petals a darker spice. Bergamot and lemongrass lift the top with a perfumed and a grassy citrus respectively, and jasmine adds floral refinement above them. Then the Lisbon layer arrives and it is genuinely odd. Cucumber, lettuce and Portuguese basil, the manjerico sold in the city every June, give a green freshness that is vegetal rather than herbal. Arinto grapes contribute the bright acidity that variety is known for. Coffee lays a dark nuance under everything, and salt sharpens the savoury edge without ever tasting of salt.

The nose opens on a clean juniper line and a bright citrus impression, then the green accents and a soft floral layer, with the spices adding warmth and texture rather than weight. The palate moves from citrus and herbs into the grape and basil, where the gin turns local and gently savoury, and the finish stays structured, lightly spicy and aromatic.

Bronze at the IWSC in 2024, where the panel noted citrus peel, sherbet, tinned fruit, damp pencil, cinnamon and vanilla over a sweet palate with oak and citrus. Tonic neutral or Mediterranean, and a garnish picking one thread only: lemon peel, a basil leaf, a cucumber ribbon or a grape. It ends citric, green and savoury.