The Herbalist Gin

Fifty plants go into this gin, and the number would be a gimmick if they had all gone in together. They do not. The botanicals are grouped by aromatic family, maceratedMacerationBotanicals soak in alcohol, from a few hours to several days, before distillation to release their aromas.Glossary separately, and only then distilled in a traditional copper pot stillPot stillA traditional still, often copper, that distils in batches. It keeps more texture and character than a column.Glossary, which turns an unmanageable list into five or six manageable ones. The Herbalist is made in Belgium at 44%, organic, with Filliers distilling.

Citrus · Organic · Spicy · Floral · Herbal

That grouping is the whole method. Floral, leafy, spicy, citrus and berry elements can each be extracted at their own pace and balanced against each other before the final blend, rather than fighting for the same charge. The recipe came out of a collaboration between master distillers, mixologists and the research team at KeyPharm, a Belgian house specialised in medicinal plants, which explains why the list reads like a herbalist's cabinet rather than a distiller's.

The families are all represented. Flowers bring lavender, rose, chamomile and elderflower. Herbs and spices supply rosemary, thyme, coriander, cardamom, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, marjoram, lemon balm and lemongrass. Roots and earth come from angelica, orris, gentian, dandelion, milk thistle and turmeric. Leaf and resin arrive through green tea, eucalyptus, pine, myrtle and linden. Lime and mandarin zest carry the citrus, and a long line of berries fills in behind.

The nose opens on citrus zest before the floral and leafy notes gather, moving from mandarin and lime toward lavender, rose and green tea.

The palate stays fresh and citrus-led at first, then the herbal and spicy structure takes over, juniper holding the dry frame throughout. A dry tonic and a restrained garnish hold all of it legible, while anything sweetened flattens the earthy finish first. Mandarin zest, lime zest or a few juniper berries are the coherent choices.