Fifty-seven per cent is the strength of the Hawthorn Edition, Lighthouse's navy strength gin, which the distillery says lifts its nine botanicals to bold new heights with an intense, silky smooth character. It uses exactly the same recipe as the original Lighthouse gin, simply bottled at a higher strength, at 57% ABV. The term navy strength recalls the days when sailors tested their gin on gunpowder, which still had to light afterwards.

Citrus · Spicy · Navy Strength

Lighthouse has made gin in Martinborough, in New Zealand's Wairarapa wine region, since 2005, and calls itself the town's original craft gin. Its recipe uses nine botanicals, twice distilled: juniper, coriander seed, fresh Yen Ben lemon, navel orange zest, almonds, cinnamon quills, cassia bark, liquorice root and orris root. Its water is drawn from a spring in the Remutaka Ranges at Wharekauhau Country Estate, on Palliser Bay.

At navy strength, every element of the recipe is more concentrated. The fresh Yen Ben lemon and navel orange come through vividly on the nose, the cinnamon and cassia bring a deeper warmth, and the almond and orris give a creamy, rounded texture that keeps the alcohol from feeling sharp. At this strength the spirit also carries more of the botanical oils, which explains its silky texture. The original gin, at 42%, has won gold at the Global Gin Masters and at the IWSC, and the Hawthorn Edition simply turns the dial up.

Lighthouse recommends it in a Tom Collins, a Dry Martini or a gin and tonic. In a Tom Collins, the extra strength holds up against lemon juice, sugar and soda, so the botanicals stay clear in a long, refreshing drink. Measure carefully, since a 57% gin makes any cocktail noticeably stronger than usual.