5 Mile Navy Gin

New Zealand giant kelp sets 5 Mile Navy Gin apart from the distillery's Original recipe. The 57.4% ABV gin retains eight familiar botanicals: juniper, coriander, angelica, green cardamom, cassia, walnut, lime peel and green peppercorn, then adds the named seaweed. 5 Mile Distilling describes a briny aroma and taste, giving this high-strength gin a clear maritime character.

Citrus · Spicy · Navy Strength

JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary and lime provide a recognisable gin opening, followed by warm spice from coriander, cardamom and green peppercorn. The kelpKelpA brown seaweed from Atlantic shores, briny and rich in umami.Glossary brings the saline note described by the producer, while walnut and cassia give the palate a fuller, rounder middle. At this strength the flavours arrive with extra concentration, but the citrus and juniper remain distinct. The finish is dry, lightly peppery and savoury rather than sweet.

Produced in Taupō, Navy Gin is more than a higher-proof version of the Original: its nine-botanical list includes New Zealand giant kelp, a change that gives the recipe its own direction. The distillery describes the bottle as a tribute to navy gins of old. At 57.4% ABV, measured dilutionDilutionThe water added by melting ice. In the right amount it opens the aromas and softens the alcohol; too much flattens the drink.Glossary helps reveal the salt, citrus and spice in sequence. The recipe's maritime character is present in the aroma and taste, not just in the name.

Build a long drink with 4.5 cl gin, firm ice and 10 cl Franklin & Sons Mediterranean TonicMediterranean tonicA tonic with less bitterness and sugar, scented with herbs and citrus (rosemary, thyme, lemon). It leaves more room for the gin's botanicals.Glossary. The tonic's citrus and herbal notes meet the lime and kelp without adding a heavy sweetness. Add a strip of sea kelp and a fresh lime twistTwistA strip of peel twisted over the glass to release its oils, then dropped into the drink.Glossary to the cocktail, then arrange matching garnishes beside the glass. Stir lightly once. The lime lifts the briny aroma, while the tonic softens the high-strength spirit enough for the savoury finish to come through.