Big River Mandarin Gin

Fresh Australian mandarin peel, Chinese five-spice and Sichuan pepper shape Big River Mandarin Gin, developed with Sydney's Lotus group of restaurants. Their focus on Chinese cuisine inspired the combination, and the gin reaches 45% ABV. Juniper provides the familiar gin structure beneath these more distinctive notes.

Citrus · Spicy

The nose brings ripe mandarin and aromatic spice. On the palate the peel stays bright while the five-spice, a blend whose warmth usually comes from star anise, cinnamon and fennel, deepens the middle. Sichuan pepperSichuan pepperNot a true pepper but the berry of a prickly ash: citrus, lavender and a tingle that slightly numbs the lips.Glossary then adds its gentle, tingling numbness and a dry, warming finish, more citrusy than hot. The citrus is immediate, but the spice and pepper keep the gin well away from a simple fruit gin. Mandarin and Sichuan pepper share a citrus scent, which ties the fruit and spice together.

The Lotus collaboration gives the gin a place at the table. Mandarin and spice suit richer food, from roast duck to dumplings, and the producer suggests serving it with a coastal tonic, mandarin juice or citrus soda. A small pinch of salt is also recommended, to bring the pepper's effect into focus; it should be a finishing touch rather than a salted rim. Its five-spice also suits a gin sour made with fresh mandarin juice.

For a long drink, fill 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 with clear iceClear iceIce without air bubbles, made by slow, directional freezing. Denser, it melts more slowly and dilutes less.Glossary, add 4 cl of gin and 10 cl of Fever-Tree Indian Tonic WaterIndian tonicThe classic tonic: sparkling water, bitter quinine and sugar. The name recalls colonial India, where quinine warded off malaria.Glossary. Place a mandarin wheel and a short peel twist in the glass, and offer a tiny pinch of flaky salt on the side. The tonic keeps the citrus clear, and the salt, added gradually, brightens the pepper.