Brogan's Way Mango & Habanero Gin

Fresh mango and habanero chilli are infusedInfusionFruit or plants are steeped in the spirit to release their flavour. Done after distillation, infusion often adds colour too, and the gin can no longer be called London Dry.Glossary into Brogan's Way Mango & Habanero Gin, a hand-crafted spirit from the Richmond distillery bottled at 38% ABV. Brogan's Way describes a sip bursting with fresh, fruity mango, contrasted by a sweet chilli bite and a salty after-note, with good gin all the way through.

Spicy · Floral · Fruity

Mango comes first on the front palate, juicy and tropical. The habanero answers with a fruity heat rather than a sharp burn: this chilli has its own apricot-like fruitiness, which sits naturally beside the mango. The floral notes of the base gin come through behind the fruit, and juniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary keeps the spirit recognisably gin. As the flavour develops in the mouth, a salty after-note appears, with a rich texture on the tongue, and the warmth of the chilli lingers gently. Habanero is among the hottest common chillies, but here the heat is measured to stay pleasant.

The distillery says it drinks equally well on ice, in a gin and tonic and as a spicy mango Margarita, which is perhaps its most natural home: lime, salt and chilli are classic partners for mango. The heat stays measured, so it suits a long drink as well as a short one. A pinch of salt on the rim of the glass underlines the salty finish. With soda and a squeeze of lime, it also makes a light, spicy 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.

For a highball, pour 4 cl over ice in a highball glass, add 10 cl of chilled Thomas Henry Pink Grapefruit and stir once. Add a slice of mango and a small piece of habanero chilli. The pink grapefruit adds a bittersweet citrus that cuts the fruit, and the chilli in the glass slowly builds the heat.