Forty Spotted Citrus & Pepperberry Gin

Tasmanian citrus and native pepperberry are the two named botanicals of Forty Spotted Citrus & Pepperberry Gin, alongside juniper. It is bottled at 40% ABV in a 700 ml bottle by Lark Distillery, the Tasmanian distillery behind Forty Spotted. The distillery says the island's own produce inspired the recipe, and that it did not have to look far for it.

Citrus · Spicy

The aromas of citrus and pepperberry rise together from the first pour. On the palate, invigorating notes of tangerine and orange come forward, rounder and sweeter than lemon, and the pepperberry answers them with a slowly building warmth. JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary keeps the profile dry beneath the fruit. Compared with the Forty Spotted Classic, built around lime leaf and lemon, this gin leans towards orange and a softer, juicier citrus, with the pepperberry giving it a warm close. Pepperberry grows on a shrub native to Tasmania's cool forests, and its heat develops slowly before lingering.

Forty Spotted suggests a little ice and a slice of orange, a simple way to enjoy it all year round and to sip as the sun goes down. Its own Citrus Sonic mixes 30 ml of gin with 100 ml of tonic, 100 ml of soda and a big squeeze of fresh orange over ice, a long, light drink with half the calories of a standard gin and tonic, according to the brand. The orange lifts the citrus, and the soda keeps the pepperberry noticeable.

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 Fentimans Pink Grapefruit Tonic Water and stir gently. Add an orange twistTwistA strip of peel twisted over the glass to release its oils, then dropped into the drink.Glossary and a few pepperberries. The pink grapefruit tonic echoes the citrus while keeping the pepperberry present, and the berries slowly tint the drink.