Heaven & Hell Inspired by Lust Tomato Gin

Lušt tomatoes, grown in Prekmurje in north-eastern Slovenia with geothermal warmth near the Mura river, are considered among the most flavourful tomatoes around, and they inspired this London Dry GinLondon 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 Heaven & Hell. The Kiss of Immortality distillery in Velika Polana works the tomatoes at the peak of their ripeness.

Dry · Spicy · Fruity · Herbal

The tomatoes are maceratedMacerationBotanicals soak in alcohol, from a few hours to several days, before distillation to release their aromas.Glossary, then distilled by the traditional London Dry method in copper, in a pot stillPot stillA traditional still, often copper, that distils in batches. It keeps more texture and character than a column.Glossary without a column. The producer counts 47 different, 100% natural botanicals in the distillation, a number that matches the 47% ABV of the bottle, and retailers name lemon balm, pepper, paprika and spiced salt among them. No sugar is added, and the gin is released in a limited series, filled by hand into 700 ml bottles. Retailers add that it is neither chill-filtered nor coloured, and the same house also makes the Gold 47 Premium London Dry Gin.

The producer describes a sweet, ripe tomato character with a gentle fruity note and a slight earthy undertone.

The palate is rounded and slightly salty, which makes the gin exceptionally refreshing, and the balance keeps freshness and depth together without letting the tomato take over. Lemon balm adds a green, lemony lift, while pepper and paprika bring a savoury warmth that recalls a summer salad more than a sweet fruit gin.

Heaven & Hell recommends pairing it with Fever-Tree tonic. An Indian tonicIndian tonicThe classic tonic: sparkling water, bitter quinine and sugar. The name recalls colonial India, where quinine warded off malaria.Glossary works well: its bitterness frames the savoury notes and its bubbles keep the salty edge lively. A halved cherry tomato and a few cracked black peppercorns repeat the main flavours. At 47%, the gin also has the strength for a savoury MartiniDry MartiniGin and a little dry vermouth, stirred over ice and served in a well-chilled stemmed glass, with an olive or a twist.Glossary or a Red Snapper, the gin version of the Bloody Mary.