Defiance Navy Strength Premium Gin

Defiance Navy Strength Premium Gin is produced in the United Kingdom by Defiance, a distillery known for its use of wild-foraged botanicals from British woodlands and moorlands. The Navy Strength classification refers to the historic standard of 57% ABV, originally adopted to ensure that spirits would not compromise gunpowder ignition aboard naval vessels. In this gin, the higher alcohol content is used not for intensity alone but to support and carry the aromatic structure of its diverse botanical selection.

The recipe brings together traditional gin staples such as juniper, coriander seed, angelica root, orris root, cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg, with more unusual inclusions like sweet cicely, spruce tips, tangerine root and myrrh. Dehydrated orange and lemon deliver clear citrus definition without overt juiciness, while spruce and myrrh add a resinous and woodland dimension. The distillery sources a portion of its ingredients via controlled and sustainable foraging, contributing to a recognisable house style based on forest-led aromatics.

On the nose, the gin opens with a firm juniper core, lifted by dry orange zest and a subtle coniferous tone from spruce tips. The spice components appear gradually rather than immediately, with cardamom and nutmeg carrying warmth rather than heat. The palate is concentrated but balanced, beginning with citrus sharpness, followed by a layered evolution of resin, spice and botanical bitterness. The 57% base gives structure and texture without masking the detail of the individual ingredients.

The finish is long, slightly dry and spiced, with myrrh and spruce offering a lingering aromatic depth. Sweet cicely brings a soft anise-like echo, while tangerine root contributes a faint pithy citrus accent. Defiance Navy Strength Premium Gin can be served with a neutral tonic and a pared-back garnish such as lemon peel to avoid interfering with its complex forest and spice components. It also suits stirred classics such as a Martini variant where citrus oil and juniper precision can be expressed without dilution of its botanical definition.