American white oak barrels turn the Derbyshire gin of Dog and Spoon into something darker and warmer. This Oak Aged Gin comes in 50 cl bottles at 40% ABV, and its time in the barrel brings it closer to the world of aged spirits than to a classic London Dry. Most gin goes into the bottle unaged, so here the wood becomes an ingredient in its own right, shaping aroma, texture and finish as much as the botanicals do.

The distillery describes rich, smoky and charred woody notes, with hints of toasted oak, vanilla and spice on the nose. American white oak is known for exactly these flavours: its wood is rich in vanillin, the same compound that gives vanilla pods their aroma, and the toasting or charring of the staves adds smoky and caramelised notes. On a juniper spirit, those tones add weight and warmth while the gin keeps its botanical base.

That profile explains the serves the distillery recommends. The gin can be enjoyed neat or on the rocks, where oak and vanilla open slowly, or used in classic stirred cocktails such as a Negroni or an Old Fashioned, where it takes the place usually held by a darker spirit. In a Negroni, the vanilla softens the bitterness of the red aperitif; in an Old Fashioned, the smoky oak works with the sugar and bitters.

Recognition followed in 2026, when Oak Aged Gin won the Gold award for aged gin at that year's Gin Guide Awards. Dog and Spoon, created in 2019 by Tony Brindle and Seb Michaud, has been certified carbon neutral since 2022, and this bottle adds an aged dimension to a range that also includes the London Dry and Miner's Strength. For the simplest serve, pour it over one large ice cube and add a twist of orange peel, whose oils brighten the vanilla and toasted oak.