5 Mile Berry Gin

Raspberry and blackberry give 5 Mile Berry Gin its name and its vivid, full-bodied character. The 41% ABV recipe includes nine botanicals: juniper, coriander, liquorice root, cassia, almond, lime peel, vanilla pods, raspberries and blackberries. Made by 5 Mile Distilling in Taupō, it brings the familiar dry-gin base together with two clearly named fruits.

Citrus · Spicy · Fruity · Vanilla

The berries lead the aroma and palate, with a ripe, rounded fruit character rather than a sharp citrus attack. JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary and coriander keep the taste anchored in gin, while cassia and liquorice add warmth beneath the fruit. Almond and vanilla lend a softer impression, and lime peel gives the finish a brighter edge. The result is generous in flavour without relying on an assumed liqueur-like sweetness; the producer describes it as vibrant and full-bodied.

Berry is one of the core gins in 5 Mile Distilling's Taupō range, alongside Original, Forest and Navy. Its recipe is notably different from the house's classic 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: raspberries and blackberries join seven other named botanicals, rather than appearing only as tasting notes. The distillery lists the full nine-part recipe and presents Berry as a cocktail gin. That fruit-led direction makes it easy to pair with a mixer that adds freshness without burying the juniper underneath more sugar.

Pour 4.5 cl over ice and top with 10 cl Double Dutch Pomegranate Basil Tonic. The pomegranate echoes the berry fruit, while basil brings a fresh herbal counterpoint. Add a fresh raspberry and a blackberry to the drink, then place the same fruit beside the glass. Stir gently once so the tonic meets the gin without flattening its aroma. The berries reinforce the central flavour, and the drier finish keeps the cocktail lively.