The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Daffy's Gin

Daffy's Gin

Daffy's · Strathleven Distillery

86.2 proofNASScotland
Daffy's is the rare gin that achieves intensity without volume. Every botanical is clearly articulated yet none dominates. The tension between the pine-forward juniper and the delicate floral-citrus backdrop makes this an excellent Martini gin that also holds its own in longer serves.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bright juniper pine opens with immediate citrus lift—fresh lemon and grapefruit pith. Beneath, a quiet floral note of crushed violet and a dry, earthy angelica root provide depth without weight.

Palate

Clean and taut. The juniper is assertive but never aggressive, held in check by a silky coriander warmth and a burst of citrus that keeps the palate lifted. A subtle peppery spice builds mid-palate, adding structure to the otherwise ethereal spirit.

Finish

Crisp and dry with lingering juniper, a whisper of violet, and clean lemon zest.

Specifications
Style
Contemporary London Dry
Botanicals
Lebanese mint, juniper, coriander, angelica root, cassia bark, citrus peels, and other undisclosed botanicals
Base Spirit
Grain neutral spirit
Distillation
Double distilled in small copper pot stills with separate botanical distillation
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

The Tightrope — 2 oz Daffy's Gin · 1 oz dry vermouth · 0.25 oz Suze · 1 dash orange bitters · Stir over ice, strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass, garnish with a lemon twist.

Food Pairing

Smoked trout blini with crème fraîche and dill

The Story

Founded by a husband-and-wife team at Strathleven Distillery in Scotland's West Dunbartonshire, Daffy's uses a unique two-still process—distilling botanicals separately before blending—to achieve clarity and balance in each small batch.

Train These Aromas
Comments

Be the first to comment.

Leave a comment

0 / 4,000

First-time comments are reviewed before appearing. Be kind, be specific, no spam.

More from Strathleven Distillery
More Gin Reviews
Gin

St. George Dry Rye Reposado Gin

St. George Spirits

St. George's barrel-aged rye gin sits at the crossroads of whiskey and gin, using fire twice — once to dry-roast botanicals, once through barrel maturation. The result is a gin with structure and warmth that holds up beautifully in stirred cocktails where a London Dry would feel thin. A bridge bottle for whiskey lovers exploring gin.

90 proof
Beefeater Burrough's Reserve Oak Rested Gin
Gin

Beefeater Burrough's Reserve Oak Rested Gin

Beefeater

Master Distiller Desmond Payne's vision of what happens when the spirit meets the cask is brought to vivid life in Burrough's Reserve Oak Rested. Rested in hand-selected Jean de Lillet oak casks — previously used to age the storied French aperitif — this gin embodies the issue's theme at its most literal: the barrel's inner skin imparts golden color, vanilla richness, and a gentle tannic framework without ever eclipsing the juniper-forward London Dry character. It occupies a fascinating middle ground between gin and aged spirit, rewarding both neat sipping and barrel-aged cocktails.

86 proof
Bols Genever Barrel Aged 18 Month
Gin

Bols Genever Barrel Aged 18 Month

Bols

A masterclass in patience applied to the gin family tree. Where most gins celebrate the instant brightness of distillation, Bols Barrel Aged 18 Month embraces the slow alchemy of oak and time. The result is a spirit that bridges the worlds of aged whiskey and botanical distillate — furnace-forged grain spirit tempered into something deeply contemplative. Perfectly aligned with "The Furnace of Patience," this genever proves that even the juniper berry bows to time's authority.

84 proof
Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla Gin
Gin

Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla Gin

Tanqueray

Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla takes the classic London dry structure and overlays it with actual Seville orange botanicals, creating a gin that bridges tradition and accessibility. The bitterness of the orange is key — this is not a sweetened citrus gin but a genuine botanical expression. A versatile bottle for cocktails and a solid G&T anchor.

82.6 proof