Venezuelan cacao husks give this limited Sabatini bottling its roasted, earthy depth. Sabatini Gin Venezuela begins with the distillery's nine Tuscan botanicals: juniper, Florentine orris, coriander, olive leaves, sage, thyme, lavender, wild fennel and lemon verbena. The husks are introduced through a further distillation, giving the 44% London Dry a darker aromatic register without adding the sugar or creamy texture of a chocolate liqueur.

The first aroma remains recognisably botanical. Juniper, sage and thyme establish a dry herbal frame, while lavender and lemon verbena bring lightness. Cacao arrives underneath as roasted shell, dry cocoa and a faint earthy bitterness. Because the husk contains aroma without the richness of cocoa butter, it deepens the gin rather than making it heavy. Coriander and wild fennel provide spice through the middle, and olive leaf keeps the finish savoury.

In the mouth, citrus-like verbena and resin appear before the cacao becomes clear. The transition is gradual: green herbs lead toward roasted notes, then juniper restores a dry line on the finish. The extra distillation integrates the cacao into the spirit instead of leaving it as a surface flavour. Sabatini Venezuela therefore works as a contemplative Gin Tonic, but it also has enough structure for dry cocktails where its cocoa nuance can replace a more obvious bitter ingredient.

Fill a highball with clear ice, pour 5 cl of Sabatini Gin Venezuela and add 10 cl of Fever-Tree Naturally Light Tonic Water. Place a broad orange peel in the glass and scatter a few clean cacao husks beside it, then repeat the peel and husks on a small dish. The dry tonic protects the herbal structure, while orange oil connects the Tuscan botanicals with the roasted cacao.