Portobello Road Gin: London Dry

Portobello Road Gin: London Dry

What they say:

“In 2011, nestled above a 19th century drinking den on London’s world famous Portobello Road, four long-time friends decided, after amassing a staggering collection of gin & artefacts, to open The Ginstitute, which became home to a diminutive 30L copper pot Still, Copernicus the Second. It was here that, after discovering the lay of the distilling land & nine months of experimentation, Portobello Road Gin was born.

“On the front of the palate, Portobello Road Gin has a generous slug of juniper, the mid-palate has a sustained, fresh citrus character from our use of lemon, bitter orange and coriander, which then develops into a sweet peppery finish, achieved by the use of liquorice and nutmeg. Best served simply with tonic and a twist of pink grapefruit.”

What we say:

We say the same, we’re not here to dispute their story. But we’ll add, that the gin really is a fine example of a London Dry. As a reminder, this is not simply a gin style, but a legal definition, London Dry is essentially the same as distilled gin but NO other flavourings or sweeteners can be thrown in after it’s distilled. This is what designates it as London Dry. There’s plenty of historic precedent for the style, which was initially made in London in the 19^th Century, but it can now actually be made anywhere.

Jake Burger and the team behind the gins at Portobello Road are students of this history, but also like to bring something fresh to the gins. The London Dry has the hit of juniper, that sweet, then bitter pine quality, and that’s essential, so the gin doesn’t depart from what we’d expect. It’s dry at first but then works through the gears of slightly herbal, grassy but then big on the citrus. It’s rounded and spot works just as well with a decent tonic as it does a Martini, and should be on your trolley as a solid staple of the style.

Here’s some juniper to look at, it’s having a nice time.