Papaiti Potager Gin

In the garden just outside the distillers' home, the ingredients for this gin grow side by side: citrus trees leaning into the sun, basil running wild in the corners, rosehips swelling on their stems and nettles that surprise you when you least expect them. Potager, the French word for a kitchen garden, is built from that garden, not just in flavour but in feeling. The Whanganui distillery bottles it at 40% ABV in a 700 ml bottle.

Citrus · Herbal

The botanicals are juniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary, coriander seed, angelica rootAngelicaThe root of a tall umbellifer, earthy and musky. After juniper and coriander it is the most common botanical: it binds the aromas and holds the finish.Glossary, liquorice root, orris rootOrris rootIris rhizome dried for years, then ground. Powdery and violet-like, it mainly works as a fixative that binds and lengthens the other aromas.Glossary, lemon, orange, grapefruit, fresh basil, stinging nettle and rosehip. Three citrus fruits give the opening a bright, peel-like freshness, with grapefruit adding a slightly bitter edge. Fresh basil brings a sweet, peppery green note, and nettle a grassy, almost spinach-like savouriness, while rosehip adds a soft tartness. All of it sits on a crisp juniper backbone, with the roots giving an earthy, dry base. Papaiti calls it herbaceous and citrusy, grounded and bright, a gin to pour slowly rather than rush through. Each herb stays easy to recognise. Its close is fresh and green.

Like every Papaiti gin, it is made from scratch in Whanganui, inspired by the seasons. The distillery suggests it in a G&T with cucumber and fresh basil, in a French 75French 75Gin, lemon juice and sugar, topped with champagne. It is named after the French 75 mm field gun of the First World War.Glossary with lemon and bubbles, or, surprisingly, in an Espresso MartiniDry MartiniGin and a little dry vermouth, stirred over ice and served in a well-chilled stemmed glass, with an olive or a twist.Glossary. A few cucumber slices and a basil sprig are enough to make a refreshing G&T.

For the G&T, pour 45 ml of Potager over firm ice and add 100 ml of Double Dutch Yuzu Lemongrass Tonic. Add a basil leaf and a lemon twistTwistA strip of peel twisted over the glass to release its oils, then dropped into the drink.Glossary to the drink, and set matching garnishes beside the glass. The yuzu and lemongrass suit the garden herbs, and the basil brings out the gin's green side.