Tarquin's The Seadog Navy Strength Gin
Tarquin's · Southwestern Distillery
Tarquin's navy strength offering is a gin built for confrontation — proof amplifies every botanical, and the juniper refuses to yield. This is structural gin: bold, unapologetic, and perfectly suited for tonic or a navy-strength martini. The Cornish coastal provenance is felt in its briny edge and wind-whipped clarity.
Nose
Robust juniper — piney and resinous — anchors the nose, with bright grapefruit peel, dried violet, and a crackle of black pepper. A whisper of angelica root adds an earthy undertone that keeps the citrus from floating away.
Palate
The navy strength proof delivers a full, oily texture. Juniper dominates the palate with a woody, resinous quality, layered over coriander seed warmth and sharp lemon zest. Orris root adds a powdery floral note mid-palate, and the peppery heat builds steadily.
Finish
Long and warming, with juniper, grapefruit pith, and a persistent peppery tingle. The angelica root dryness lingers underneath.
- Style
- Navy Strength
- Botanicals
- Juniper, coriander seed, angelica root, orris root, fresh grapefruit peel, fresh lemon peel, Devon violets, green cardamom, cinnamon bark, liquorice root
- Base Spirit
- Wheat-based neutral spirit
- Distillation
- Single-shot distilled in a flame-fired copper pot still
Cocktail Suggestion
Storm Petrel Martini — 2.5 oz Tarquin's Seadog Navy Strength Gin · 0.5 oz dry vermouth · Stir with ice for 30 seconds, strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass, garnish with a grapefruit twist.
Food Pairing
Whole grilled sardines with charred lemon halves, sea salt, and a drizzle of herb oil over crusty bread. The gin's juniper intensity and briny character complement the oily richness of the fish, while grapefruit notes cut through the char.
Distilled in a single flame-fired copper pot still named Tamara at Southwestern Distillery on the wild north Cornish coast, where Tarquin Leadbetter hand-makes each batch of gin.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
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.
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.
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.
Conniption American Dry Gin
Durham Distillery
Durham Distillery's Conniption American Dry is a masterclass in restraint. By splitting its botanical bill between two distillation methods—heat-based and vacuum—it preserves each ingredient's essential character without compromise. The result is a gin that feels structurally honest: juniper-forward, quietly complex, and utterly transparent. In an era of gins dressed in lavender and tropical fruit, Conniption argues that the marrow of the spirit is decoration enough. Exceptional value at its price point.