Hrafn Winter brings mandarin together with separately distilled Omani myrrh and Royal Green Hojari frankincense. The Scottish gin is bottled at 43% ABV, and the producer presents it as a warming seasonal recipe built on its familiar juniper and spice base. Both resins have been traded between Arabia and the Horn of Africa for thousands of years, and Oman's Hojari frankincense is among the most prized.

Citrus · Woody · Spicy · Herbal

The nose combines fresh green juniper with lemon, sweet mandarin and powdered spice.

On the palate, juniper moves into soft floral tones of violet and rose, followed by spiced wood, oud and mandarin. The finish is gentle and lingering, with warmth from the spices rather than a sharp citrus fade. The mandarin keeps the aromatic route bright, while myrrh and frankincense give the middle and finish a deeper, resinous character.

The recipe has nine botanicals: juniper, fresh mandarin peel, coriander, cassia, cubeb pepper, angelica root, orris root, Royal Green Hojari frankincense and Omani myrrh. The distillery makes separate distillates of the two resins before bringing them into the finished gin. This gives the darker ingredients a defined place beside the citrus and traditional gin botanicals, instead of letting them overwhelm the blend.

The recommended G&T uses Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Tonic and a mandarin-orange twist. Pour 4 cl gin over ice, add 10 cl tonic and stir gently. A fresh mandarin twist, pressed over the drink, brings the citrus forward against the resins. The lighter tonic leaves room for the incense and myrrh, while the fresh peel brings the mandarin aroma forward. Hrafn also uses Winter in a French 75 and in its Winter Fashioned, both natural choices for the colder months.