No. 3 London Dry Gin

Nose: The nose shows lemongrass, juniper and a touch of rosemary and lavender. In the background some seed spices (cardamom and coriander) are apparent. Palate: Sweet at first with light lemon, juniper and warm spice - very much a continuation of the nose. The palate is full-bodied and has an agreeably creamy texture. It's subtle and there are very nice musky and herbal tones. Finish: Medium. Spicy sweet notes tail out to a mild and slightly woody bitterness, which is probably the angelica root. A pleasant gin that is very well made but also very "average". There's nothing particularly interesting or unusual here - no outstanding signature aroma, flavour or texture. It's just a well constructed London dry gin and if that's what you want, then here it is, but if you're after intensity or individuality then seek further afield - this isn't the gin you're looking for. I think this is over-hyped and the official score of 93 is undeservedly generous. It's certainly above average, but that's all, and in a blind tasting lineup I'd be very surprised if this emerged the winner. I'd recommend this to someone who has only ever bought cheap, lower-shelf supermarket gin and wants to move up in quality but stay with a middle-of-the-road profile, but I would not recommend it to a gin enthusiast. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25 stars)