Tarquin's British Blackberry Gin

Tarquin's British Blackberry Gin is a 38% ABV flavoured ginFlavoured ginGin with flavourings, often fruity, added after distillation. It may be coloured and lightly sweetened.GlossarySee Flavoured gin gins from Cornwall, United Kingdom. It begins as Tarquin's flagship Cornish Gin, distilled in small batchesSmall batchProduction in small quantities per distillation run, often in a small still. The term has no legal definition.Glossary, then receives a post-distillation infusionInfusionFruit or plants are steeped in the spirit to release their flavour. Done after distillation, infusion often adds colour too, and the gin can no longer be called London Dry.Glossary of British blackberries. A small addition of local Cornish wildflower honey is made just before bottling to bring fragrant sweetness and balance. The maker is explicit that juniper remains the backbone, so the bottle should be understood as a berry-led gin, not a replacement for a dry ginDry ginGin with no perceptible sweetness: in the European Union, the word "dry" allows at most 0.1 g of sugar per litre.GlossarySee Dry gin gins.

Woody · Spicy · Fruity

The official notes start with crisp, piney juniper, blackberry crumble, wild berries and sweet spice.

On the palate, summer pudding and frangipani are followed by a zesty, sherbet-like finish and the perfumed sweetness of wildflower honey. This is a rich description, but it has a useful internal structure: dark berries and bakery notes sit on top of a firm juniper line, while the honey rounds the edges rather than making the finish sticky.

Begin with a small cold pour over one large cube. First look for the pine and blackberry, then wait for the floral honey impression as the gin warms slightly. A taste with no mixer also helps distinguish the tart berry character from added sweetness. When mixing, avoid a heavily perfumed tonic or a garnish full of citrus oils, which would distract from the blackberry, gentle spice and honey balance documented by the producer.

For the producer's preferred long serve, build it in a highballHighballA long drink served in a tall, straight glass with plenty of ice: a spirit topped with soda or tonic. The word also names the glass.Glossary with plenty of ice: 5 cl gin, 12 cl cloudy lemonade, two fresh blackberries and a short mint sprig. Stir only once so the carbonation stays lively. Cloudy lemonade amplifies the sherbet note while keeping the blackberries clear; mint gives lift without taking over. This serve deliberately does not force tonic into a bottle for which Tarquin's recommends lemonade, and it keeps the tasting advice and recipe in agreement.