Never Never Triple Juniper Gin - 50cl - 43% ABV

Never Never are disruptors! Late comers to the Gin scene, the Australian dream team burst onto the scene promising to kick off a juniper revolution. So far, so good – the young trio behind the distillery, George Georgiadis, Sean Baxter and Tim Boast, have put their money where their mouths are, launching with their Triple Juniper Gin, and making liquid magic from there on out.

Never Never Triple Juniper Gin is marketed as a throw back to the good old days, when the one thing you could guarantee about juniper is that it was going to give you a good pine punch. They treat the juniper in three ways to get the taste across – by steeping it for 24 hours, by adding it fresh to the pot and by cooking it above the still in a vapour chamber. They know that juniper is a force to be reckoned with, though, so it is complemented by a careful selection of complementary botanicals – so many, in fact, that the essential oil content in the gin is big enough to cause a spot of louching.

It’s hugely fragrant and slightly savoury, with a big citrus burst up front and a waxy, tongue-cating oiliness from both the juniper and the heavy dose of roots. The juniper evolves in the mouth, first as bright as a forest, then as earthy as the forest floor. One for out and out Gin fans and a fine accomplishment.

To serve: Classic tonic and a sprig of rosemary or twist of lemon. Or both if you’re feeling elaborate.