30 Knots Mellow Gin

A touch of real marshmallow, not a flavouring or a syrup, rounds the edges of 30 Knots Mellow Gin. The Western Australian distillery, based in Beresford on the coast at Geraldton, macerates the marshmallow in a juniper-ledJuniper-forwardA classic profile where juniper clearly dominates, with resinous, piney notes.Glossary Australian dry ginDry ginGin with no perceptible sweetness: in the European Union, the word "dry" allows at most 0.1 g of sugar per litre.GlossarySee Dry gin gins, which gives the spirit a gentle, creamy softness and its blush-pink colour. Geraldton, on the coast about 400 kilometres north of Perth, is known for its strong sea breezes.

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Despite the name, the brand insists the gin is not sweet: there is less than half a marshmallow in a standard drink. The style is described as a juniper-led Australian Dry Gin with a soft, rounded profile, made in small batchesSmall batchProduction in small quantities per distillation run, often in a small still. The term has no legal definition.Glossary and sold in 700 ml and 200 ml sizes at 40% ABV.

The flavour profile brings prominent raspberry and red fruit notes, complemented by hints of marshmallow creaminess that add depth, and a sweet marshmallow scent that contrasts subtly with the gin character on the palate. Marshmallow is made from sugar, gelatine and air whipped together, and its creamy, vanilla-like aroma is what the macerationMacerationBotanicals soak in alcohol, from a few hours to several days, before distillation to release their aromas.Glossary carries into the spirit, while juniper keeps the profile anchored as a gin. Macerating a soft confection in spirit draws out its aroma while leaving most of its bulk behind, which is why the texture softens without the gin becoming a liqueur.

The distillery suggests enjoying it neat, with tonic, soda or lemonade, or even drizzled over vanilla ice cream. Soda water keeps the drink at its driest and lets the red fruit show, while a light tonicLight tonicA low- or no-sugar tonic, often sweetened with substitutes. Drier, it brings out the bitterness and the gin.Glossary adds a gentle bitterness; a couple of fresh raspberries echo the fruit notes. For drinking on the go, the same gin is also sold as Mellow & Lemonade, a ready-to-drink can at 4.5%, and in a gift box of three 200 ml bottles.