Review: Sipsmith London Dry Gin
“The first copper distillery in London for 200 years.” That’s a big deal, and Sipsmith’s London Dry Gin — one of the few London Drys that can claim to actually be from London (the other main one being Beefeater) — stands up to its own self-generated hype.
Sipsmith starts with a barley base and is flavored with 10 botanicals, including Macedonian juniper, Seville orange peel, Spanish lemon peel, Italian orris root, Spanish licorice root, Belgian angelica root, Madagascan cinnamon, Chinese cassia, Spanish almonds, and Bulgarian coriander. Altogether a fairly classic London Dry style botanical bill, with the addition of licorice and two types of cinnamon. Batches are made 400 bottles at a time.
As London Dry gins go, Sipsmith is a quieter, sweeter example. The nose is mild, with the citrus notes easily overwhelming the juniper. The latter is more present on the body, but even there it’s kept in check by cinnamon sugar, some woody root notes, and, surprisingly, those almonds. The finish is more sweet than tart, and the spirit drinks far more sedately than its slightly overproof alcohol level would indicate.
Worth a try, particularly in more fanciful gin-based cocktails.
83.2 proof.
B+ / $34 / wilsondaniels.com [BUY IT NOW FROM CASKERS] [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE]
Sipsmith London Dry Gin
$34
