Giniversity Indian Ocean Gin

Drops of salty sea water from Gnarabup, on the Margaret River coast, are used to dilute Giniversity Indian Ocean Gin. Head distiller Cameron Syme created it as a celebration of the Indian Ocean and its significance to every Western Australian, fusing two local botanicals, saltbush and Geraldton wax, with juniper, samphire, summer berries, sweet orange and butterfly pea. It is bottled at 40% ABV in a 500 ml bottle.

Citrus · Fruity · Herbal

Butterfly peaButterfly peaA South-East Asian flower that turns gin blue. When it meets the acidity of tonic or citrus, it changes to pink.Glossary gives the gin a natural deep blue colour, and adding citrus juice or tonic changes it, a reaction to acidity that turns the blue towards violet and pink. As butterfly pea is a natural colouring, the shade can also change over time in the bottle. Saltbush and samphireMarsh samphireA small, crunchy salt-marsh plant that brings a salty, sea-side note.Glossary, a coastal succulent, bring a savoury, gently saline note that the sea water reinforces, while Geraldton wax adds a lemongrass-like freshness. Summer berries and sweet orange round the palate with soft fruit, and juniper keeps the gin dry.

Giniversity recommends clapped fresh mint as a garnish, with a premium dry tonic or soda over plenty of ice. Clapping the mint between the hands releases its oils without bruising it. The colour changeColour-changing ginGin tinted with butterfly pea flower, whose pigments shift from blue to pink when the acidity of tonic or lemon lowers the pH.Glossary makes it a natural choice for a GimletGimletGin with lime cordial or sweetened lime juice, served well chilled without ice. It is said to come from the Royal Navy, as a guard against scurvy.Glossary or a Collins, where the citrus juice turns the drink as it is mixed.

For a highballHighballA long drink served in a tall, straight glass with plenty of ice: a spirit topped with soda or tonic. The word also names the glass.Glossary, 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 highball glass, add 10 cl of chilled Franklin & Sons Refreshingly Light TonicLight tonicA low- or no-sugar tonic, often sweetened with substitutes. Drier, it brings out the bitterness and the gin.Glossary and stir once. Add a sprig of mint. The light tonic keeps the saline and berry notes clear, and the mint adds a fresh, cooling aroma as the colour shifts.