* Gin tasting, The Oak Barrel, Sydney, November 6th, 2018. Gin #3 Nose: Woody and sweet with a hint of charcoal and a delightful mushroom-like note. Warm and velvety pine-juniper with a light touch of vanilla and citrus. Palate: A soft herbal arrival with a sweet vanilla note balanced by fresh spiciness. A citrus note develops and there is no bite at all – it's very soft with an excellent creamy texture. Finish: Medium. Sweet at first but tailing out into woody, spicy tones. Just about every review I’ve seen of this gin mentions bright citrus qualities, but I only found traces of that. For me there was a prominent earthy note like healthy decay that stood out on the nose. You know that sweet woody aroma you get from a fallen tree in a forest? It’s like that. On the palate there is a matching woody, herbal, almost mossy flavour. An excellent sipping gin to have neat or over an ice cube. A good cocktail mixer, but to be honest it seems a shame to bury such nice spirit under anything else. Best enjoyed by itself or with tonic where it really shines – it’s one of the few gins that keeps its personality intact and can be clearly perceived through tonic. “Excellent” : 88/100 (4.5 stars)