The Shropshire Distillery brings rose and citrus to a gin bottled at navy strength. The Shropshire Distillery, run by Emma and Gareth Glynn at Ellesmere, builds this 57% bottling on juniper and adds rose, liquorice, sweet orange and grapefruit, then relies on the strength to keep those delicate notes legible once tonic arrives. It comes in a 70cl bottle with the house's blue navy label.

Everything goes into the copper still together. The distillery works one-shot, which means the botanicals macerate as a single charge and what comes off the still is what goes into the bottle, with no dilution of a concentrate afterwards, and the finishing is done by hand. The result is a dry, juniper-led gin whose rose and citrus notes remain noticeable after dilution.

Juniper arrives first and holds through the palate. A subtle rose note softens the nose while liquorice brings a rounder, warmer depth. Orange gives the gentler citrus, grapefruit follows with a fresher and more incisive edge, and a peppery aftertaste contrasts with the flower and the sweet orange. Neat, the gin is firm and dry; a little water or tonic softens the alcohol and makes the rose and grapefruit easier to separate. The floral detail stays delicate despite the proof.

The producer recommends lime peel and a light premium tonic, which is exactly the right call. Fill a balloon glass with large ice, pour 4cl of gin and add about 10cl of well-chilled tonic, then put a narrow lime twist and one edible rose petal among the cubes. Lime lifts the grapefruit side without adding sweetness, and the petal echoes the recipe. For something shorter, the distillery also suggests a small measure neat over ice, which is where the peppery aftertaste shows most clearly.