Makar Original Dry Gin is the flagship gin of The Glasgow Distillery Company and one of the clearest modern statements of Glasgow gin. The official product page presents it as the first gin distilled in the city, launched in 2014 and named after an old Scots word for a poet or bard. It is bottled at 43% ABV and distilled in the copper pot still Annie, with juniper placed at the heart of the recipe and seven supporting botanicals represented by the seven-sided Makar bottle.

The botanical list is precise and strongly structured: juniper berries, fresh lemon, fresh rosemary, black pepper, coriander seeds, liquorice, cassia bark and angelica root. This gives Makar Original Dry a classic dry frame, but with a distinctive herbal and peppery edge. Lemon brings lift, rosemary adds a savoury green line, coriander gives aromatic brightness, cassia and black pepper build spice, while liquorice and angelica help round the texture and lengthen the finish.

The official tasting notes open with fresh pine and eucalyptus, followed by floral and herbal rosemary and touches of zesty lemon. On the palate, juniper remains robust, supported by citrus, savoury notes and black pepper spice. Liquorice contributes shape without making the gin sweet. The finish is long, smooth and dry, with angelica, warm pepper and rosemary lingering after the citrus has faded. It is a gin with backbone, designed for drinkers who want juniper to lead.

Makar recommends Indian tonic water, fresh ice and a fine slice of mild green chilli pepper. That garnish is not decorative theatre; it echoes the peppery structure of the gin while leaving the juniper clear. In a G&T, keep the ratio disciplined and avoid sweet fruit. The same dry, assertive character also makes Makar Original Dry a strong candidate for a martini, where the rosemary, citrus and spice can sit cleanly against dry vermouth.