Hickson House Harbour Bridge Gin

Lemon aspen and lilly pilly give Hickson House Harbour Bridge Gin its native accent, alongside juniper, coriander, angelica, orris and aniseed myrtle. The seven botanicals are bottled at 42% ABV, and the name refers to the Sydney landmark: the distillery presents the gin as part of a series inspired by Sydney Harbour and its history.

Citrus · Fruity · Herbal

JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary forms a firm backbone, softened by what Hickson House calls earthy citrus. Lemon aspen brings a sharp, distinctly Australian citrus note to the nose, while lilly pilly, a small native berry, adds a restrained fruit accent rather than obvious sweetness.

On the palate the resinousResinousAn aroma reminiscent of pine or fir resin. It is juniper's signature, due to compounds such as pinene.Glossary core comes first, followed by herbal notes from the aniseed myrtle and a subtle berry-like sweetness. The roots and coriander keep everything grounded. Dry and warm, the finish leaves juniper on the palate once the citrus is gone.

The Sydney connection comes through the local botanicals rather than through any attempt to imitate the bridge itself. Hickson House sells the gin in a 700 ml bottle and suggests classic cocktails: a 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, a Basil Smash and a gin and tonic. The dry, warm finish gives it enough structure for stirred drinks, and in a Basil Smash the herbal anise note sits naturally beside fresh basil and lemon. Over several sips the gin moves from juniper and earthy citrus to a softer herbal and berry register, which also makes a longer drink feel natural.

For a gin and tonic, 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 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 Q Drinks Q Indian Tonic WaterIndian tonicThe classic tonic: sparkling water, bitter quinine and sugar. The name recalls colonial India, where quinine warded off malaria.Glossary and stir once. Lemon aspen peel and a few lilly pilly berries garnish the drink with its two native botanicals. The dry tonic lets the earthy citrus and the berry note stay clear.