Fig, vine-ripened grapes, cassia, orange peel and Isle of Wight honey draw Mermaid Winter Gin toward a rounded seasonal register. The result is softer and more rounded than the core Mermaid Gin, but it still belongs in the gin family rather than becoming a liqueur. At 38% ABV, it is designed for generous winter serves and aromatic highballs.

The nose brings orange peel first, followed by dried fruit and warm spice. Fig gives a darker, honeyed fruit note, while grapes suggest sweetness and depth without needing to dominate the palate. Cassia adds the familiar warmth of winter spice, and honey rounds the edges. The gin feels mellow, but the citrus peel keeps it awake. That balance matters because a seasonal gin can easily become heavy or too sweet. Here, the better reading is fruit, spice and orange brightness, with the base gin providing structure underneath.

The appeal of Mermaid Winter Gin is its sense of occasion. It is not trying to be the driest bottle in the cupboard. It is made for colder evenings, festive tables and serves that can carry fruit and spice without losing clarity. The bottle also fits naturally beside the broader Mermaid range, where coastal freshness is often the starting point; this version turns the dial toward warmth while keeping the drink polished.

Its Perfect Serve combines a light tonic, dehydrated orange and rosemary in a simple gin and tonic. That is exactly the right direction. The orange repeats the peel in the recipe, rosemary adds a dry green aroma, and the lighter tonic avoids exaggerating the honeyed side. Build it over plenty of ice and keep the garnish clean, so the drink remains bright rather than mulled.