1588 Navy Strength Gin

Shakespeare Distillery bottles 1588 at 57% ABV, the strength that gives this gin its Navy StrengthNavy StrengthGin bottled at 57% ABV or more. Royal Navy lore holds that at this strength, gunpowder soaked in gin would still ignite.GlossarySee Navy Strength gins name. The number refers to the year of the Spanish Armada campaign, and the distillery uses it to connect the release with the maritime history behind the recipe. The bottle is produced in Stratford-upon-Avon, but its flavour takes a broader route through the orange, currants and warm spices named by the maker.

Spicy · Fruity · Navy Strength

Juniper remains the centre of the profile. Orange and currants bring a bright, rounded fruit note, followed by ginger, cinnamon and allspiceAllspiceA dried berry that recalls clove, cinnamon and nutmeg all at once, hence its name.Glossary; rosemary and angelica add drier herbal and root-like edges. At 57%, these elements arrive with extra intensity, yet the citrus and fruit keep the palate from feeling blunt. The finish is warm and persistent, with the juniper still clear beneath the spice.

The botanical list includes juniper, orange, currants, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, rosemary, coriander and angelica. The distillery describes the gin as juniper-forwardJuniper-forwardA classic profile where juniper clearly dominates, with resinous, piney notes.Glossary and recommends it with Indian tonicIndian tonicThe classic tonic: sparkling water, bitter quinine and sugar. The name recalls colonial India, where quinine warded off malaria.Glossary and orange, while the higher strength also suits a NegroniNegroniAn Italian cocktail of equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and red bitter (Campari), served over ice with orange peel. Born in Florence in 1919.Glossary. Those suggestions make sense for different reasons: tonic and citrus lengthen the brighter side of the spirit; vermouthVermouthAn aromatised, fortified wine flavoured with herbs and barks; its name comes from the German Wermut, wormwood. Dry vermouth goes into a Martini, sweet red into a Negroni.Glossary and bitter aperitif ingredients give the concentrated spice a fuller, more structured setting.

For a straightforward serve, fill a balloon glass with large ice, pour 5 cl, add 15 cl Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water and finish with an orange wheel and a small rosemary sprig. Stir once, gently, so the tonic stays lively. The orange echoes the citrus in the recipe, rosemary repeats one of its herbs, and the large cubes slow dilution without hiding the gin's aromatic detail. For a stronger cocktail, use it in a Negroni with equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and bitter aperitif, stirred until cold.