Whittaker's Original Edition

In Nidderdale, North Yorkshire, Whittaker's makes its Original Edition, with a strength of 42% ABV. The distillery calls it an unfilteredUnfiltered ginThe essential oils of the peels and plants stay in the gin: when chilled or mixed with tonic they turn it slightly cloudy, like pastis (the "louche" effect).Glossary gin inspired by the surrounding countryside and made with locally foragedForagingPlants gathered by hand in the wild (woods, heath, coastline) rather than grown or bought in.Glossary botanicals. Its hare illustration evokes that rural setting; the recipe itself brings classic gin ingredients together with plants associated with the Yorkshire landscape. The result is a dry style with both familiar juniper structure and a broader mix of herbs, berries and citrus.

Citrus · Dry · Fruity · Herbal

The eight named ingredients are juniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary, coriander, angelica rootAngelicaThe root of a tall umbellifer, earthy and musky. After juniper and coriander it is the most common botanical: it binds the aromas and holds the finish.Glossary, hawthorn berries, bilberries, bog myrtleBog myrtleA peat-bog shrub, also called sweet gale. Resinous and slightly bitter, it flavoured beer before hops did.Glossary, garden thyme and lemon. Juniper and coriander establish the classic dry-gin foundation, with angelica supporting the botanical structure. Hawthorn and bilberry add a fruit dimension, while bog myrtle and thyme contribute a greener, more aromatic side. Lemon brings a bright edge to the blend. Whittaker's leaves the gin unfiltered, keeping the oils of these foraged plants in the spirit.

The Yorkshire setting runs through the Original Edition, from the gathered botanicals to the spring water the distillery uses in its spirits. Its balance of juniper, herbs, berries and lemon suits a classic G&T, a MartiniDry MartiniGin and a little dry vermouth, stirred over ice and served in a well-chilled stemmed glass, with an olive or a twist.Glossary or a spirit-forward cocktail. For a simple serve, a strip of lemon and a small sprig of thyme echo two of the named botanicals without crowding the glass. At 42% ABV, the gin retains its character in a long drink while remaining measured enough for a more restrained serve. Toby and Jane Whittaker founded the business in 2015 at Harewell House Farm in Nidderdale, where the hares that gave the farm its name inspired the label; distilling moved from an old 1950s pig shed to a purpose-built distillery in 2019, and its stills are all called Jezebel.