Pennington's Lakeland Moon Gin

Pennington's Lakeland Moon Gin is a London DryLondon DryA style, not a place of origin: every flavour comes from distilling natural botanicals. After distillation only water and a trace of sugar may be added, with no flavouring or colouring.GlossarySee London Dry gins from the Lake District, first distilled in 2016 and bottled at 42.1% vol. The recipe combines wild juniper with six other botanicals gathered from the Lakeland Fells, then uses water filtered through limestone from the producer's own spring.

Citrus · Floral · Fruity · Herbal

The producer confirms grapefruit, Spanish orange and lemon peel alongside the wild juniper. Those three citrus fruits give the aroma several shades: grapefruit adds dry bitterness, orange brings roundness and lemon supplies the brightest lift. Juniper remains firm through the palate, supported by clean citrus oils and the mineral clarity associated with the spring water. The mouthfeel is precise rather than heavy, and the finish returns to dry pine with a lingering trace of peel.

The gin received Gold at the 2019 World Gin Awards and Silver in 2020, following medals at the International Spirits Challenge in 2017 and 2018. The awards span several years and accompany a recipe closely tied to its Lake District setting. The producer recommends Mediterranean or Premium Indian tonicIndian tonicThe classic tonic: sparkling water, bitter quinine and sugar. The name recalls colonial India, where quinine warded off malaria.Glossary, or simply ice and orange peel. For a long serve, combine Lakeland Moon balanced by Mediterranean tonicMediterranean tonicA tonic with less bitterness and sugar, scented with herbs and citrus (rosemary, thyme, lemon). It leaves more room for the gin's botanicals.Glossary Mediterranean tonic, adding orange peel and three juniper berriesJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary inside the glass and repeating them beside it.

The reference to moonlight belongs to the gathering story, but the production details are concrete: wild juniper, six companion botanicals and spring water filtered through limestone. That water does not add a flavour of its own; it helps the citrus and pine appear cleanly, giving the gin a restrained character despite the romantic name.