Courtesy of http://www.31dover.com
Master distiller Jamie Baxter has made a number of very fine gins, his latest exploit being to help realise the dream of Phil Burley in creating Burleighs gin. Using a brace of unusual botanicals including dandelion, burdock and silver birch, they have created a robust, punchy and very distinctive gin.
So onto the tasting. On the nose it is punchy, opening up the senses with a slap of piney juniper and coriander / citrus notes.
Tasting straight there’s a punchy piney dry bitterness which smooths out to a sweetness (licorice or orris notes) which then gives way to a peppery linger that activates the sides and back of the tongue. This is a bold gin.
With tonic it opens out, and the profile lengthens. Again it’s starts with a dry punch, there’s a gentle bitterness which is balanced by sweetness from the elderberry which yields to a pepper finish that stimulates and invigorates the tongue.
There’s a lot going on with this gin, it’s bold with a distinct flavour profile which makes it standout, punchy and unusual, in a good way!. Burleighs is currently on our tasting menu, we think it makes a knock-out Negroni.
We await Mr Baxters next installment with much anticipation.