For all of the die hard Gin fans out there, I am going to go against the grain with this review and my tasting notes. I should also add that I am a bourbon and whiskey man through and through trying to widen my palate. There are a few liquors on my shelf that don't exhibit the "classic" characteristics of their segment. My favorite tequilas and gins are chief amongst those selections. That said, I never fancied Gin much. But, with an open mind and palate I explored the segment and found some truly great examples. However, my first taste of The Botanist was during a social gathering, sipped neat from a Glencairn with friends and I remember distinctly thinking that I was not a fan. But now, in my quiet home on a chilly Friday evening, I'm going to give this a thorough once over. The nose on this Gin smells as classic as you can get. Juniper and lemon host some peppercorn that just slightly tickles the nose. There's a bit of an herbal, earthy smell to it, too. Almost mint leaf in nature. Juniper and citrus bring a floral start to the taste and then peppercorn opens up with a bit of prickle from center tongue out. The back half of the taste is rather dry and herbaceous - some black tea and mint leaf. The finish features citrus, black peppercorn and mint leaf. It continues to be rather dry and a tad bit spicy. I know why this doesn't appeal to me now. As I review this Gin, it is quite clear that the dominant flavors are floral, dry and herbal. None of which feature heavily in Bourbon. So of course, I'm not going to be an immediate fan but it certainly isn't the worst tasting liquor I've had in recent ages. Perhaps: a Gin for Gin drinkers?