Boatrocker Raspberry Gin

Whole raspberries steep in Boatrocker Raspberry Gin for seven days after distillation, bringing colour and fresh-fruit character to its juniper-based recipe. Bottled at 40% ABV, it combines this berry infusionInfusionFruit or plants are steeped in the spirit to release their flavour. Done after distillation, infusion often adds colour too, and the gin can no longer be called London Dry.Glossary with a distilled botanical base that includes strawberry gum, Earl Grey tea, lemon, coriander, orris, angelica and almond. The raspberries contribute both the gin's pink colour and its unmistakable fruit character.

Citrus · Fruity · Herbal

Fresh raspberry is the first clear impression, with a lively tartness that keeps the aroma from becoming confectionery-like. Lemon lifts the fruit, while Earl Grey brings a gentle tea-like citrus note. Juniper is still present, but it sits behind the berries rather than leading the nose. Strawberry gumStrawberry gumThe leaf of an Australian eucalyptus that smells of strawberry and red fruit.Glossary lends an airy, leafy freshness; almond gives the aroma a softer edge without making it sweet.

The palate follows the same order. Ripe berry arrives with a touch of acidity, then lemon and tea sharpen the middle. The base botanicals provide a quiet juniper line and a drier finish, so the fruit remains vivid without turning the drink into a syrupy liqueur. At 40%, the gin has enough weight for a long drink, while the raspberry stays easy to recognise after dilutionDilutionThe water added by melting ice. In the right amount it opens the aromas and softens the alcohol; too much flattens the drink.Glossary.

The seven-day macerationMacerationBotanicals soak in alcohol, from a few hours to several days, before distillation to release their aromas.Glossary is the key distinction in its production: the berries are steeped after distillation, rather than treated as another botanical in the still. This process explains the colour and the direct, fresh-fruit impression. The distillery also names the other ingredients used in the recipe; there is no need to add other berry varieties or to infer a sweetness beyond the stated balancing role of the gin's botanicals.

Serve 4 cl over plenty of ice in a balloon glassCopa glassA large stemmed balloon glass, popularised by the Spanish gin and tonic: it stays cold for longer and gathers the aromas above the drink.Glossary, add 10 cl of Fentimans Pink Grapefruit Tonic Water and stir once. A few fresh raspberries in the glass, with more on a small plate beside it, make the garnish clear and restrained. The grapefruit tonic brings a citrus counterpoint to the berries. The gin can also replace a standard gin in a Tom CollinsTom CollinsA long drink of gin, lemon juice, sugar and soda water, served over ice in a tall glass.Glossary-style drink, keeping the lemon and soda while letting the raspberry lead.