Hickson House Oyster Shell Gin

Sydney Rock oyster shells go into the distillation of Hickson House Oyster Shell Gin, which is bottled at 40% ABV. The shells sit alongside nine botanicals: juniper, coriander, angelica, orris, old man saltbush, tarragon, finger lime, ruby grapefruit and seaweed. The distillery credits the shells with a mineral quality and a rounded, silky texture.

Citrus · Dry · Herbal

JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary and fresh citrus open the nose, followed by a restrained impression of sea air.

On the palate, ruby grapefruit and finger limeFinger limeAn Australian citrus whose pulp forms tiny tart pearls that burst in the mouth.Glossary bring a tart brightness against a gentle salinity and a soft mineral feel. Seaweed and saltbush deepen the savoury side, while tarragon adds a light anise-tinged herbal line towards the finish. The gin stays dry and juniper-ledJuniper-forwardA classic profile where juniper clearly dominates, with resinous, piney notes.Glossary throughout, and the citrus keeps the savoury notes from weighing it down. The finish is long and dry, with herbs and minerals lasting longest.

The name describes a production detail, not a pairing suggestion: the shells are part of the distillation and shape the gin's texture. Hickson House places the recipe in its Sydney identity, using native saltbush and seaweed alongside the familiar gin botanicals. The result is especially suited to a dry 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, where the mineral and saline notes stand beside the 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, and to a crisp gin and tonic. It also makes an obvious companion for oysters and other seafood. The bottle comes in 500 ml and 700 ml sizes.

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 Franklin & Sons Premium Indian Tonic Water and stir once. A ruby grapefruit peel and a strip of seaweed garnish the drink. The grapefruit lifts the citrus on the nose, and the seaweed underlines the coastal side without making the drink salty.