Big River Dry Gin

JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary leads Big River Dry GinDry ginGin with no perceptible sweetness: in the European Union, the word "dry" allows at most 0.1 g of sugar per litre.GlossarySee Dry gin gins, with lime, navel orange and Australian lemon myrtleLemon myrtleThe leaf of an Australian tree with an intense lemon scent, purer than zest and without acidity.Glossary drawing a broad citrus line through the middle. The distillery makes it in the London DryLondon DryA style, not a place of origin: every flavour comes from distilling natural botanicals. After distillation only water and a trace of sugar may be added, with no flavouring or colouring.GlossarySee London Dry gins style, from a wheat spirit cut with filtered water from the Brindabella Mountains; its strength is 42% ABV. Coriander, hops, cassia, liquorice, angelica root, mountain pepper leaf and cucumber complete the recipe.

Citrus · Dry · Spicy · Floral

The first sip is direct and resinousResinousAn aroma reminiscent of pine or fir resin. It is juniper's signature, due to compounds such as pinene.Glossary, then opens into peel and fresh citrus. Hops add a fleeting floral, slightly bitter lift, and cassia, liquorice and angelica give the citrus a darker, earthy background. Mountain pepper leaf contributes a savoury, gently spicy accent, and cucumber appears as a cool note at the very end. The citrus is layered, the spice measured, and the finish clean and dry, without sweetness. Lemon myrtle's fragrant citrus links the lime and the orange.

Big River distils its gins in a 420-litre stainless steel pot stillPot stillA traditional still, often copper, that distils in batches. It keeps more texture and character than a column.Glossary fitted with a copper botanical basketVapour infusionBotanicals sit in a basket above the liquid, so only the alcohol vapour passes through them, for a lighter, fresher extraction.Glossary, in a single shot, choosing maceration or vapour infusion depending on the spirit. That flexible method suits a recipe that pairs classic juniper structure with Australian plants. The dry profile makes it a natural Martini gin, and its citrus and cucumber suit a Southside or a Gimlet.

For a gin and tonic, fill a highball with clear ice, add 4 cl of gin and 10 cl of Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water, and stir gently once. Add a cucumber ribbon and a small lime wheel. The tonic's light herbal notes echo the gin without covering the juniper or the pepper leaf.