In Ramsbury's distillery garden, lemon balm is picked fresh for the production of Lemon Balm Gin. Made by Ramsbury Brewing & Distilling in Wiltshire, this English gin uses winter wheat grown on the Ramsbury Estate and is bottled at 40%. The connection to the estate involves both the grain used for the spirit and the leaves that distinguish this recipe.

The leaves spend a night steeping in the still with the other botanicals. Distillation follows, with the distillers selecting the heart of the run by hand. This is a London Dry gin, whose lemon-like fragrance comes with the greener scent of fresh lemon balm. The nose also reveals juniper and quince: the former adds resinous freshness, while the latter brings a gentler fruit note beside the more vivid citrus impression.

On the palate, lemon balm develops a zesty, herbaceous flavour. Quince gives a rounded fruit nuance, distinct from the sharper scent of the leaf, and juniper retains the dry character of the gin. The mouthful moves between those three sensations without losing its freshness. A crisp citrus finish is followed by a delicate herbal trace. The contrast is especially clear between the initial lemon-like aroma and the greener aftertaste: both belong to the lemon balm, but they emerge at different points in the tasting.

Use 5 cl of gin and 15 cl of Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water for a long drink, finished with a thin lemon slice. These proportions follow the distillery's gin-to-tonic ratio; the choice of tonic complements the dry juniper with bitterness. A thin garnish adds a fresh fruit scent while leaving the leaf's softer fragrance perceptible. Avoid squeezing the slice: extra juice would accentuate acidity, whereas the interest here lies in the distinction between the lemon garnish, the quince and the herbal citrus flavour of the gin.