30 Knots Venticello puts several flowers at the heart of an Australian dry gin. Bottled at 40% ABV, it combines jasmine, calendula, hibiscus, elderflower and almond with juniper. Flowers are therefore not a decorative afterthought: several different floral materials make up the gin's identity. Almond gives them a softer background, while juniper keeps the drink on a dry footing. The name and sunny bottle suggest an easy outdoor drink, but the useful detail is how many distinct flowers enter the recipe.

Jasmine has a clear perfume, elderflower is lighter and greener, and hibiscus can bring a brighter edge. Calendula adds yet another flower without needing to turn the gin sweet. Those associations explain why a heavily flavoured mixer would be a poor first choice. Almond sits quietly behind the more immediate aromas rather than making this a nut liqueur. Taste a little gin cool and neat before building a longer drink; it makes the difference between the flowers easier to follow.

The producer suggests tonic or soda, with lemon as a fresh accompaniment. A plain cold tonic makes a useful first comparison with the gin on its own. Pour it slowly over large ice and add a thin lemon wheel with a few edible calendula petals inside the glass. Set another lemon wedge and petals beside it. The citrus is a garnish, not a claimed ingredient of the recipe, and it should stay light. Soda is a second option when a still clearer view of the florals is wanted. Both drinks keep the flowers in focus. Neither needs a sweet syrup to make the botanicals noticeable.