The Botanist Gin

More juniper and floral notes than Hendricks, but a great freshness that shines through tonic.

You get the citrus peel first, but that is only a feint while the coriander and juniper wind up to slap you right in the tastebuds. It's a quick hit though, followed by what feels like 82 of the other 18 or so flavors buried in a surprisingly smooth and gentle continuum that slowly rolls in. The mouthfeel is thick and oily. While it is difficult to pick out individual notes, it is not overwhelming either. This creeping baseline of interesting flavors, ranging from citrus to bitter to *almost-but-not-quite* sweet, eventually dies, leaving behind the more savory botanicals to chew on before the next sip. This is an excellent gin that I feel very bad about using in a few martinis, while waiting for Beefeater to go on sale. Also because it doesn't even make a particularly good martini, as it lacks the pronounced sweet licorice note that I like to have in there for balance. That's just my personal preference though, so take it how you will. I would rather drink this one neat though, paired with a good IPA.