Wolf Lane Davidson Plum Gin

Organic Ooray plums from North Queensland, better known as Davidson plums, give Wolf Lane Davidson Plum Gin its colour, tartness and warmth. The Far North Queensland distillery steeps the whole plums in its gin for up to three months, using all of the fruit to capture its intense colour and distinctive flavour, then bottles it at full strength, 33.2% ABV. Wolf Lane calls it its tropical take on the traditional sloe ginSloe ginA liqueur made by steeping sloe berries in gin, then sweetening it. It is usually bottled between 25% and 30% ABV.GlossarySee Sloe gin gins.

Citrus · Fruity · Earthy

JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary gives an almost medicinal aromatic base with subtle notes of green pine, and oranges grown in North Queensland add a gentle citrus aroma. The nose is earthy, recalling plum jam and stewed rhubarb with notes of orange.

On the palate, the gin is fruit-forward, the plum's sharp tartness balanced by warmth, and the juniper keeps the fruit from turning into a liqueur. Davidson plum is a native rainforest fruit with a deep purple flesh and a very sour taste, which explains both the vivid colour and the fresh acidity of the gin.

Wolf Lane suggests serving it simply with soda, over ice at the end of the night, or as a lively addition to a glass of bubbles. Its favourite cocktail with it is the Davidson Plum Sour: 60 ml of gin, 30 ml of lemon juice, 15 ml of sugar syrup and 15 ml of aquafabaAquafabaChickpea cooking water that foams like egg white: the plant-based alternative in sours.Glossary, shaken and garnished with lemon peel. The distillery also uses this gin as the base of its Barrel AgedBarrel-aged ginGin rested for a while in wooden casks. It picks up a golden colour and notes of vanilla, spice or the wine that filled the cask before.GlossarySee Barrel-aged gin gins Plum Gin, and supports local Far North Queensland farmers through its native ingredients.

For a gin and tonic, pour 4 cl of gin over clear iceClear iceIce without air bubbles, made by slow, directional freezing. Denser, it melts more slowly and dilutes less.Glossary 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 chilled Thomas Henry Grapefruit Tonic Water and stir gently. Add a thin slice of Davidson plum and a strip of orange peel. The grapefruit tonic adds freshness to the plum's deeper fruit.