Biggar Herbaceous Gin is a Scottish London Dry from The Biggar Gin Co., produced in the Southern Uplands in batches described by the brand as no more than 140 bottles. The recipe is deliberately greener than the house style. Juniper and coriander remain the base, but the botanical list expands into cassia, orange, lemon verbena, rosehip, rowan, nettle, pink peppercorn, lavender, rosemary, sage, cleavers, orris, dandelion and elderflower. It is a broad list, yet the intention is clear: herb garden, hedgerow and dry gin structure.

The nose should be approached slowly because the profile has several layers. Juniper and coriander give the dry frame, orange and lemon verbena add lift, and the herbal trio of rosemary, sage and nettle brings a savoury green line. Lavender and elderflower soften the edges with a floral touch, while cassia and pink peppercorn bring warmth. Rowan, rosehip and dandelion add a countryside bitterness that keeps the gin from becoming perfumed or sweet.

In a gin and tonic, Biggar Herbaceous needs a mixer that can carry herbs without making the glass medicinal. Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water is the natural fit. A lemon verbena leaf, when available, is ideal; a small rosemary sprig is easier to source and stays in harmony with the recipe. Orange peel can be added as a brighter alternative, especially if the drinker wants the citrus and spice to show more clearly.

This is a useful bottle for drinkers who like aromatic gins with a real herbal vocabulary. It is not just “green” in a vague way: rosemary, sage, nettle, cleavers, verbena and dandelion each point toward a different kind of plant character. Kept cold and served with restraint, Biggar Herbaceous Gin becomes detailed rather than busy, with a dry, garden-like finish that suits a precise tonic serve.