WHAT OUR RESIDENT GIN EXPERT SAYS:

This is the Navy-Strength variant of Ableforth's Bathtub Gin, one of my all time favourites - partly because of its exquisite taste and partly because I got to try it in the bath. Not exactly an everyday occurence. This time around I wasn't quite as faithful to the name, the last time (where I do admit I almost transitioned to having a gin bath as opposed to a water one) being fresh in my mind.

Quickly though, what is "Navy-Strength"? I did a little research and discovered it actually dates back to the British Navy. They wanted their gin at a much stronger concentration, so that if it was accidentally spilled onto gunpowder it would still ignite! How's that for ingenuity? Although the more boring among us may say it was to save on weight, but that isn't nearly as fun to consider.

That said, everything I liked about the original is still present in this exquisite gin. We can't even begin to talk about it without first commenting on the bottle; Ableforth's is unique amongst all those I've tried in that they wrap their bottle with paper and twine - which makes for one fantastic design. It's almost as though it's prohibition again, and I'm holding a home-brewed spirit disguised as something else entirely to avoid detection. Exciting stuff.

And of course, the gin tastes entirely as good as it looks. Like the original, it's incredibly rich in juniper with coriander and cardamom, which leads into a zesty aftertaste with cinnamon notes. However, entirely unlike the original is its strength - the Navy-Strength variant is 57% ABV instead of the original's 43.3%. You'll definitely want to combine this with a tonic unless you want any small measure to have you singing! And with this greater alcoholic strength comes greater strength in flavour - Ableforth's says it's because they "bash up" their botanicals, leading to a greater diffusion of flavour throughout the entire beverage. I'm not entirely certain that "bashing up", is the most technical term, but they're certainly masters of their craft so who am I to dispute?

In short, fans of the original will certainly find the stronger variant to be a superb addition to their collection, and those new to Bathtub Gin won't find their palates offended in any way. This gin is certainly worth all the bells and whistles the bottle presents.

You can find the original Ableforth's Bathtub Gin here or you can check out the rest of the Ableforth's line here.