WHAT OUR RESIDENT GIN EXPERT SAYS:

Well, this really is a special something, isn't it? From the wonderful people at Alembic Craft comes this amazing Zing 72 Gin, and let's talk about the elephant in the room immediately - yes, the bottle is made of copper. Not exactly something you see on your everyday, common-or-garden gins, but then again this isn't your everyday, common-or-garden gin. The bottle (is it still considered a bottle if it isn't made out of glass?) serves to exemplify the kind of quality you can expect from this gin, which is in fact hand crafted in Provence in the South of France using winter wheat, fresh local herbs, spices, and botanicals. It's distilled in small copper alembic stills (which of course is what we have to thank for the incredible design of the bottle) and the name of the gin is a reminder that the maceration of the botanicals lasts a whole 72 hours. All of this leads to an aromatic gin that serves to deliver the utmost in character and flavour.

Anyway, now that my PR pitch is out of the way, we can get back to my favourite part - actually drinking it. To be honest, uncorking such a perfect bottle felt like a crime - a bit like cutting into a wedding cake - but after all, gin is there to be drank! After mixing it with one of my favourite tonic waters (I'm awfully sorry, James - I stir my drinks, I don't shake them) and taking a sip, I can safely say this is one of the best (if not, in fact, the best) botanical gins I have ever tried. Strong tastes of juniper dominate throughout the entire experience, with herby and spicy undertones. Usually this is the part where I talk about finishing it off and pouring another glass, but I didn't do that this time. This gin is actually so special I decided to save it for another time, rather than quickly down as much as I could.

In short, if you're looking at buying a botanical gin for yourself, look no further than right here. If you're buying this as a present for a friend, look elsewhere, because once you get your hands on this bottle you won't be able to part. This truly is a special gin for a special occasion.