Brogan's Way Evening Light Gin

Mango, raspberries and white grapefruit juice give Brogan's Way Evening Light Gin its bright, fruit-led character. The Richmond distillery adds rose petals, lavender, cassia and three Australian natives, strawberry gum, lilli pilli and river mint, to a base of juniper and coriander. Despite the name, its strength is a full 42% ABV: lighter describes the flavour, not the strength.

Citrus · Floral · Fruity · Herbal

Fruit and citrus make the first impression. Mango brings a rounded tropical note, raspberry a sharper berry edge, and grapefruit juice keeps the middle fresh and slightly bitter. Rose and lavender lift the nose with a light floral line, while cassiaCassiaThe bark of a Chinese cinnamon tree, coarser and hotter than Ceylon cinnamon. It brings a warm, slightly sweet spice.Glossary adds a mild warmth beneath the fruit. Juniper and coriander stop the fruit from taking over, so the gin stays dry rather than sweet. Strawberry gum, lilli pilli and river mint lengthen the finish with a fresh, gently sweet native character, river mint leaving a cool note at the very end. Lavender keeps a light touch, so the flowers perfume the fruit rather than covering it.

Evening Light is built for bright mixed drinks: a gin and tonic, a lively cocktail or a simple glass with soda. It needs no extra syrup, since mango and raspberry already give plenty of fruit. A BrambleBrambleA cocktail created in London in the 1980s: gin, lemon and sugar over crushed ice, drizzled with blackberry liqueur.Glossary or a Clover ClubClover ClubGin, lemon, raspberry syrup and egg white, shaken until it foams.Glossary suits the raspberry side, while soda and a squeeze of grapefruit make a light aperitif for warm evenings. Its fruit also suits a simple spritz with prosecco.

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 East Imperial Yuzu Tonic and stir gently. Add a fresh strawberry and a slice of mango to the drink. The yuzu tonic gives a crisp citrus line that keeps the fruit lively, and the two garnishes echo the gin's tropical and berry notes.