Six months in a 1,000-litre cocciopesto amphora distinguish this 57% Tuscan gin. Ginepraio Amphora Navy Strength uses organic juniper, coriander, rosehip, orange peel, lemon peel and helichrysum. Cocciopesto, a traditional mixture containing crushed terracotta, offers a porous but neutral home for the spirit. It allows slow exchange during maturation without imposing the vanilla, toast or tannin expected from oak.

The aroma is led by juniper and dry citrus, followed by coriander spice and the warm, hay-like perfume of helichrysum. Rosehip adds a faintly tart fruit note. Time in amphora rounds the alcohol and gives the palate a more settled, mineral feel, yet the botanical profile remains direct because no wood flavour is introduced. The result is powerful but not simply hot: spice, balsamic herbs and a savoury edge develop beneath the 57% strength.

On the palate, lemon and orange oils arrive first, then juniper and coriander build through the centre. Helichrysum brings a dry Mediterranean character, while rosehip softens the transition toward the finish. The amphora gives cohesion rather than an obvious new flavour. A measured taste neat, followed by a few drops of water, shows this clearly: the alcohol relaxes, citrus expands and the earthy, balsamic details become easier to separate.

For a long drink, fill a highball with clear ice, add 4 cl of Ginepraio Amphora Navy Strength and 12 cl of Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water. Place an orange peel and a small food-safe helichrysum sprig in the glass, then repeat both on a dish beside it. The extra tonic respects the 57% strength, while orange and helichrysum remain faithful to the documented botanicals.