On the palate, marjoram leads Shining Cliff Spiced Gin, a Derbyshire dry gin from White Peak Distillery made with eleven botanicals. The distillery names five of them, marjoram, cardamom, cassia, meadowsweet and orris root, alongside juniper. Sold in 50 cl bottles at 45% ABV, it is described by the distillery as its driest gin, with the most juniper of the range. White Peak Distillery works in the Derwent Valley, part of a World Heritage Site known for its early cotton mills, and also produces whisky.

Spicy · Herbal · Earthy

Despite the word spiced, this is not a sweet, flavoured gin. The official notes describe a smooth texture with distinctive, well-balanced earthy spice: warm, earthy flavours and marjoram on the palate, then a subtle cardamom finish. Cassia brings a soft, cinnamon-like warmth, meadowsweet a delicate, honeyed floral note, and orris root helps to bind the aromas together. Meadowsweet, a wildflower of damp meadows, was once used to flavour mead.

Marjoram is an unusual leading herb for a gin. Closely related to oregano but sweeter and more floral, it gives the gin a savoury, almost Mediterranean character that sits naturally beside the generous juniper. Tasted neat, the herb and the cardamom are easy to follow; a little dilution brings out the meadowsweet.

For a long drink, serve it over ice, lengthened with Indian tonic, and add a piece of red grapefruit or a thin slice of fresh ginger. Grapefruit brightens the spice, while ginger echoes the warmth of the cardamom. Keep the mixer dry and the garnish light, since the gin already carries plenty of character, and avoid sweet tonics that would blunt its earthy edge. A Negroni also works well, the bitter aperitif meeting the earthy herbs.