Blackberry and clove open the first chapter of Panda Gin’s Black Series. This limited release keeps the Belgian brand’s signature lychee but surrounds it with a new recipe created specifically for Édition N°1. Bottled at 42% ABV in a run of 5,000 numbered 70 cl bottles, Panda Gin Black Series N°1 is presented in a matte-black bottle and an iridescent case. Its name deliberately carries no vintage: the number identifies its place as the founding release in a collection devoted to naturally dark fruits and plants.

The recipe contains nine organic ingredients: juniper berries, lychee, blackberry, clove, yuzu, Buddha’s hand citron, orange zest, rosemary and Chinese star anise. Blackberry and clove are the two black ingredients chosen for this edition. Lychee gives the fruit a delicate, rounded centre, while blackberry adds a darker berry note and a fresher tart edge. Yuzu, Buddha’s hand and orange zest build a layered citrus opening. Rosemary introduces a dry green accent, Chinese star anise brings cool aniseed spice, and juniper keeps the composition anchored in gin.

Panda Gin works with Distillerie Radermacher in Raeren, where production is carried out on site from distillation to bottling. Founded in 1836, Radermacher combines long distilling experience with modern equipment and organic certification. Water from the High Fens completes the recipe, which is made without additives or added sugar. That dry foundation is important here: blackberry and lychee contribute aroma and fruit, but the gin is shaped by distillation rather than by the syrupy weight of a liqueur.

The nose begins with lychee and blackberry, quickly lifted by yuzu and the aromatic zest of Buddha’s hand. Juniper and rosemary appear beneath the fruit before clove and star anise add warmth and length. On the palate, blackberry gives the opening depth, lychee softens the centre, and the three citrus ingredients keep the fruit lively. Clove becomes clearer towards the finish, joined by anise and a final dry return of juniper. The 42% strength carries these contrasting notes with enough precision for the berry character to remain vivid without covering the botanicals.

For a bright gin and tonic, pour 5 cl over abundant clear ice and add 10 cl of Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water. Finish with two fresh blackberries and a narrow orange peel. The tonic’s gentle herbal character supports rosemary and juniper, while orange reconnects the glass with the citrus trio. Leave the blackberries whole rather than crushing them: they recall the central ingredient without adding pulp or turning the drink sweet.