Reed & Co Remedy Australian Dry Gin

Remedy is the original flagship gin of Reed & Co., a distillery in Bright, in the High Country of north-east Victoria, and it draws its character from that alpine landscape. The botanicals named are juniper, gum leaves, native citrus and local mountain pepper, with a strength of 44% ABV. The distillery does not say which eucalyptus or citrus species it uses, and it does not need to: the four names are enough to set the direction.

Citrus · Spicy · Herbal

Eucalyptus is the first impression, cool and resinousResinousAn aroma reminiscent of pine or fir resin. It is juniper's signature, due to compounds such as pinene.Glossary, like the bush around Bright after rain. JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary follows and gives the gin its dry backbone, while native citrus lifts the nose with a bright, zesty freshness.

The palate is bold and rounded, as the distillery describes it, and mountain pepper adds a light, building spice that carries into the finish. The balance is simple and clear, with each botanical having its own place: pine, leaf, citrus, then pepper. The 44% strength gives enough body to stand up to tonic or 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.

Reed & Co. suggests serving Remedy on the rocks with a lemon zest, in a classic 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 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, or in a G&T made with a low-sugar tonic and lemon thyme. In the Martini, the eucalyptus and pepper come through clearly, and in a Negroni the gin holds its own against the bitter aperitif. On the rocks with lemon zest, the native citrus is at its clearest.

For the G&T, pour 4 cl over clear iceClear iceIce without air bubbles, made by slow, directional freezing. Denser, it melts more slowly and dilutes less.Glossary in a copa glass, add 10 cl of Franklin & Sons Refreshingly Light Tonic and stir gently once. Place a lemon twist and a lemon thyme sprig in the glass, then arrange matching pieces on a small side plate beside it. The light tonic keeps the eucalyptus clear, the lemon brightens the native citrus, and the lemon thyme follows the distillery's own advice.