Weekender Jalapeno Lemon Gin

"Not for the faint-hearted" is how Weekender sums up its Jalapeno Lemon Gin, which the brand calls bold and a little polarising. Blush Merchants bottles it at 41% ABV and describes it as daring at first sip and delightful by the second, with heat, flavour and fun dancing on the palate once mixed. It is the summer gin of the range, with a kick.

Citrus · Spicy

Bright lemon zest opens the nose and gives the first sip a fresh, sharp edge. Jalapeno follows with a green, vegetal heat that builds steadily across the palate rather than hitting all at once. JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary keeps a dry frame underneath, so the gin stays recognisably a gin even as the chilli warms the finish. Neat, the heat is assertive; once lengthened, the zest and spice fall into balance, which is exactly how the brand intends it to be drunk. A cold, long drink gives the lemon room to show and tames the chilli. Jalapeno has a fresh, grassy flavour as well as heat, which pairs naturally with lemon. The heat lingers longest on the finish, where the lemon fades first.

Weekender's signature serves for it are Spice in Paradise and the Bloody Loud Mary, a gin Bloody Mary where the jalapeno adds its own heat. The brand also pairs it with a pineapple and jalapeno soda, and it makes a lively spicy Margarita-style cocktail with lime and agave. Start with a smaller pour if you are unsure how much heat you like.

For the G&T, pour 45 ml of Jalapeno Lemon Gin into 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 filled with ice and add 100 ml of Alchemy & Tonic Yuzu & Lemongrass Tonic Water slowly down the side. Add a lemon twistTwistA strip of peel twisted over the glass to release its oils, then dropped into the drink.Glossary and a chilli ring to the glass, and serve the same garnish on a small plate beside it. Yuzu and lemongrass sharpen the citrus while leaving the jalapeno's warmth clear.