Poor Toms Sydney Dry Gin

Freshly pressed Granny Smith apples are among the ten botanicals of Poor Toms Sydney Dry GinDry ginGin with no perceptible sweetness: in the European Union, the word "dry" allows at most 0.1 g of sugar per litre.GlossarySee Dry gin gins, the original gin of the Marrickville distillery in Sydney. It is bottled at 41% ABV, and its recipe also names juniper, strawberry gum leaf, chamomile, lemon myrtle, coriander seed, angelica root, cinnamon, cardamom and cubeb pepper. Poor Toms describes it as delicate, fresh and floral, with a core that stays dry and juniper-ledJuniper-forwardA classic profile where juniper clearly dominates, with resinous, piney notes.Glossary.

Spicy · Floral · Fruity

Juniper opens with a direct, resinousResinousAn aroma reminiscent of pine or fir resin. It is juniper's signature, due to compounds such as pinene.Glossary note, followed by green apple, strawberry gum and chamomile. The apple brings a crisp orchard quality rather than a sugary fruit character. Chamomile and strawberry gum soften the edges, and lemon myrtleLemon myrtleThe leaf of an Australian tree with an intense lemon scent, purer than zest and without acidity.Glossary gives the nose a lifted citrus-herbal note. Coriander and cubeb add a gentle spice, and cinnamon and cardamom a warmth that never displaces the juniper. The finish is clean and lightly floral.

This gin is also the base of the distillery's Strawberry Gin. Poor Toms recommends a strawberry as a garnish, a simple choice that echoes the berry-scented strawberry gum leaf without making the drink sweet. Its balance suits a classic gin and tonic with a restrained Mediterranean tonicMediterranean tonicA tonic with less bitterness and sugar, scented with herbs and citrus (rosemary, thyme, lemon). It leaves more room for the gin's botanicals.Glossary, a Martini with a twist, or a Southside with mint and lime. Neat over ice, the apple and chamomile show most clearly.

For a gin and tonic, fill a copaCopa 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 with clear ice, add 5 cl of gin and 10 cl of Fentimans Mediterranean Tonic Water, and stir once. Add a fresh strawberry and a thin slice of Granny Smith apple. The apple ties the drink to the gin's crisp fruit, and the strawberry follows the distillery's own suggestion.