Old Kempton Barrel Aged Gin

A juniper and citrus-rich London Dry style, this has as much emphasis on the Gin as the barrel. Distiller Rob Tyson looks at the barrel as another botanical with the same balance and integration rules as the rest of the recipe. Twelve botanicals are used, including juniper, citrus, coriander, long pepper and fresh ginger. They are soaked in a cane sugar base spirit in a muslin cloth in the spirit still for one day, followed by a one-day distillation process. This is then maturated in Sylvain barrels from Château Angélus (shaved and toasted prior to use) for six to 12 weeks depending on the age of the cask.

A pale, straw-gold, this almost looks like a Riesling in the glass. The nose has sweet, lifted oak characters, with honey, pear and granny smith elements. The palate is almost like a toffee apple: it's bright and round with a perception of sweetness which is offset by a cleansing bitterness, sharpness and gentle grip towards the finish. Try it over ice to expose more juniper and savoury oak characters. This is a sipping Gin - drink it straight for powerful flavour or over ice for refreshment.

Botanicals: juniper, coriander seed, orris root, orange peel, lemon peel, liquorice root, star anise, long pepper, cassia bark, lemon myrtle, ginger, dried orange.