Four Seas Gin is a 40% ABV London Dry Gin from Salcombe Gin, distilled in Salcombe, South Devon, and created as a British coastal gin in support of the RNLI. The gin is built around the idea of the four seas surrounding the British Isles, with four key coastal botanicals chosen from different parts of that maritime landscape. Its identity is therefore not only citrus or smoke: it combines Salcombe's coastal gin style with smoked lemon, elderberry, sea buckthorn and sugar kelp, then places those ingredients within a more classical London Dry frame.

The recipe is led by lemon peels and whole peeled lemons hot-smoked over oak chips from Scottish whisky casks. These smoked lemons are distilled with elderberry, sea buckthorn, sugar kelp and further fresh lemon peel, alongside additional traditional botanicals including juniper, coriander seed, angelica root and cardamom. Juniper provides the dry gin backbone. Lemon peel gives the sharp citrus lift, while smoked lemon adds a deeper, caramelised citrus tone. Sea buckthorn contributes tangy fruit and acidity, elderberry gives a darker fruit accent, sugar kelp brings a subtle saline coastal finish, and the classic botanicals keep the structure clean.

On the nose, Four Seas Gin opens with zesty fresh lemon, classic juniper and a quiet sea-air suggestion. The smoked citrus note should be read with precision: it is not a heavy peat smoke or barbecue-like character, but a gentler citrus smoke linked to whisky-cask oak chips. Cardamom and coriander seed bring aromatic detail, while the elderberry and sea buckthorn give a fruit dimension beneath the lemon. The result is bright and coastal, with smoke used as an accent rather than as the whole personality of the gin.

On the palate, the first impression is citrus-forward and dry. Fresh lemon peel and smoked lemon lead the opening, then sea buckthorn adds a sharper fruit tang through the middle of the mouth. Elderberry deepens the fruit without making the gin sweet, while angelica root and juniper give an earthier, drier base. Sugar kelp appears most clearly toward the finish, where it leaves a lightly saline impression that connects the gin to its coastal theme. The finish is smooth, warming and moderately long, with lemon, smoke, juniper and a faint savoury edge.

Four Seas Gin is best served in a simple gin and tonic that does not hide its coastal structure. Indian tonic water, plenty of ice and a lemon slice or lemon twist are enough to extend the citrus and keep the smoky note clean. A Mediterranean tonic can work if used carefully, but a neutral Indian tonic is the safest match because it allows lemon peel, sea buckthorn and sugar kelp to remain clear. The gin can also be used in a dry Martini variation or a Collins-style serve, where lemon and controlled dilution highlight the smoked citrus and saline finish.