Dog and Spoon Bergamot Gin

Bergamot, the fragrant citrus of the Mediterranean, leads this classic distilled ginDistilled ginGin made by redistilling neutral spirit with juniper and other botanicals. Unlike London Dry, flavourings may be added after distillation.GlossarySee Distilled gin gins from Dog and Spoon. Made in Alfreton, Derbyshire, and bottled at 40% ABV in 70 cl, it stays juniper-ledJuniper-forwardA classic profile where juniper clearly dominates, with resinous, piney notes.Glossary while the bergamot gives it a smooth, citrusy profile that the distillery describes as full of character. The distillery opened in 2019 and has held carbon-neutral status since 2022.

Citrus · Dry · Spicy · Herbal

Five botanicals join the juniper: bergamotBergamotA bitter Calabrian citrus, the one that scents Earl Grey tea: floral and zesty.Glossary, aromatic verbena, spicy cardamom, fragrant bay leaves and sweet, warm cassia. The recipe shares its herbal backbone with other gins of the house, but bergamot changes its direction. Its peel, rich in the essential oil that perfumes Earl Grey tea, brings a floral, slightly bitter citrus note that sits between orange and lemon. Most of the bergamot grown in the world comes from Calabria, in southern Italy.

Each ingredient has a clear role. Verbena, a lemon-scented shrub from South America better known in herbal teas, reinforces the lemony freshness, cardamom adds cool spice, bay leaves bring a savoury, green dryness and cassia warms the finish. The result is complex without being heavy, and the distillery suggests enjoying it neat to appreciate those notes, or mixing it with a premium tonic for a classic gin and tonic.

A CPRE Edition of the same gin is also sold, with a donation from each purchase going to CPRE Derbyshire, the countryside charity. Solar energy, closed-loop cooling and plastic-free packaging are part of the same commitment at the distillery. For the gin and tonic, Dog and Spoon recommends serving it cold with a slice of lemon, plus a rosemary sprig. Indian tonicIndian tonicThe classic tonic: sparkling water, bitter quinine and sugar. The name recalls colonial India, where quinine warded off malaria.Glossary leaves the bergamot crisp, the lemon repeats the citrus and the rosemary underlines the herbs of the recipe.