On a family farm at Kynnersley, near Telford in Shropshire, Wrekin Spirit distils its gins in a 400-litre copper still that combines a pot with a column. The distillery was launched in 2020 by its founder Isabel and her sister, and is now run by Isabel's son, Sam Moseley. The Original is the dry gin of its Signature range, made on a grain base.

The recipe is classic in outline and slightly unusual in detail. Juniper, coriander seed, angelica root and liquorice root form the traditional frame: juniper for pine, coriander for its citrus-and-spice edge, angelica for dryness, liquorice for a roundness without sugar. Orange peel and lemongrass brighten it, the lemongrass giving a lemon note that is greener and more herbal than any peel. The distinctive root is burdock, a traditional British ingredient best known from dandelion and burdock, which adds an earthy, faintly sweet depth under the citrus. Burdock is rarely used in gin, and it gives the Original much of its individuality.

A still that combines pot and column gives the distiller a choice of spirit character, from the fuller texture of a pot still to the cleaner cut of a column, and Wrekin uses it for a gin that stays approachable at 40%. The Original comes in 70 cl, 35 cl and 5 cl bottles, so the smaller sizes make an easy first taste of the house style.

A classic gin and tonic suits it best. Take 4 cl of gin and 10 cl of chilled Indian tonic with plenty of ice, then add an orange wheel and a twist of lemon peel, covering both citrus sides of the recipe. The gin also works in a Martini or a Gimlet, where the lemongrass and the burdock become easier to pick out. A Gimlet suits it particularly well, since the lime answers the lemongrass.