Hope London Dry Gin

Seven botanicals meet a grain spirit through macerationMacerationBotanicals soak in alcohol, from a few hours to several days, before distillation to release their aromas.Glossary and vapour infusionVapour infusionBotanicals sit in a basket above the liquid, so only the alcohol vapour passes through them, for a lighter, fresher extraction.Glossary in Hope London Dry GinLondon 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. Selected plants steep before distillation, while the more delicate ones are suspended in a vapour basket. Made in Cape Town and bottled at 43% ABV, the recipe places juniper firmly in the foreground.

Citrus · Floral · Herbal

On the nose, juniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary and citrus meet the bright lemon character of lemon pelargonium. Citrus and juniper continue on the palate before rootier notes emerge, with rosemary adding an herbal accent. At 43% ABV the texture is full and slightly warming, which carries the herbal notes across the palate. The finish is mellow and floral, a softer close after the brighter start.

Hope Distillery was founded in 2014 by Lucy Beard and Leigh Lisk. Its home in Salt River is a former warehouse, where the Cape Town producer makes its spirits. This London Dry is offered in 200, 500 and 750 ml bottles. The vapour basket has a direct effect on the gin: held above the spirit rather than steeped in it, the more delicate plants keep their fresher aromas.

To taste it neat, pour 4 cl into a small chilled tasting glass, without ice or tonic, and place a rosemary sprig beside the glass. The chilled glass softens the alcohol without diluting the gin, and a small pour is enough to follow each stage of the tasting. Left beside the glass rather than in it, the rosemary adds its scent without changing the flavour and picks up the herb already in the recipe. The producer also suggests it with a mixer, for anyone who prefers a longer drink.