Nose: Juniper, earthy spices (coriander, pepper, tumeric) and a little citrus note. The nose is balanced and mild to the point of shyness and some vanilla-tinged ethanol shows up in the background. Palate: A sweet juniper arrival with evolving spicy and herbal tones. Very much a classic gin profile with good balance but little of note. The texture is unremarkable but certainly not bad. Finish: Short. Sweet with very light herbal and spice notes. 30 years ago this was a standout gin that was part of the vanguard of "new gins" that ushered in the current gin craze. It's remarkable how far we've come so quickly, with gins available today that would have been little short of shocking to the palate a generation ago. It has not changed in profile but nowadays, when compared to many contemporary gins, it seems to be just on the better side of average, but that's all. I guess that's faint praise but to give it its due it is a dependable and pleasant all-round old-school gin that can be used in just about any context. You can sip it neat, but there's no great thrill involved in the process. The main downside to this gin is finding it at a reasonable price. The standard price is around $54 for 70cl however I've seen it priced anywhere from $44-66. At the expensive end it's up against seriously better competition and simply not worth it, but if you can find it on special it's worth buying. If nothing else it is a prime example of a well-made middle-of-the-road gin and it works very well as the first gin in a tasting flight. "Average" : 75/100 (2.5 stars)