Xibal is distilled in Guatemala at 45% ABV, with a recipe that brings local pericon into a classic juniper framework. The producer also names fennel, coriander, allspice, lemon, bay, cardamom and orange among its botanicals. Pericon is an aromatic herb used in the region, and its place in the recipe gives this gin a more specific identity than the dark bottle alone. Distillation in copper provides the method; the interest for the drinker is the balance between herbs, citrus and warm spice.

The juniper stays present from the first sip. Fennel brings a mild aniseed quality, while orange and lemon keep the centre bright. Bay and pericon add a greener scent, and allspice and cardamom give the finish more warmth. None of these ingredients needs to dominate for the recipe to work. Taken neat, a small pour shows how the citrus gradually gives way to spice; a little water makes the herbal notes easier to pick out. The gin remains dry rather than becoming a sweet spiced spirit.

For a simple gin and tonic, choose an orange wheel and a small fennel frond. Both are already represented among the botanicals and make sense together without extra syrup. Put them inside a glass full of ice, with another wheel and frond beside it. Add chilled Indian tonic a little at a time. The orange lifts the nose while the fennel draws attention to the softer herbal side. Keep the proportions modest so the pericon and the longer spice finish have room to appear. A second sip after the ice begins to melt often reveals more of the bay and the gentler side of the fennel.