
Tarquin's Cornish Dry Gin
Southwestern Distillery (Independent) · Southwestern Distillery, Wadebridge, Cornwall
Tarquin's is among the very few gins in Britain still distilled over naked flame — and you can taste the difference. Direct-fire distillation gives the distiller less control than steam-heated stills, but rewards the skilled hand with a richer, more textured spirit.
Nose
Bright juniper pine, fresh violet, pink grapefruit, coriander citrus, with a subtle warmth of ginger and cinnamon underneath
Palate
Clean and vibrant — juniper-forward with violet sweetness, earthy angelica, a burst of citrus, and a gentle peppery warmth from the ginger
Finish
Medium with lingering juniper, violet, and a dry, spicy fade
- Botanicals
- 12 botanicals: juniper, coriander seed, angelica root, orris root (Morocco), cardamom (Guatemala), cinnamon (Madagascar), fresh orange & lemon peel, liquorice root, grapefruit, violet (Cornwall/Devon), green tea, ginger
- Base Spirit
- English wheat spirit, cut with Cornish spring water to 42% ABV
- Distillation
- Single-shot pot distillation in 250-litre hand-beaten copper stills fired by direct naked flame
Cocktail Suggestion
Cocktail — The Cornish Flame G&T: 2 oz Tarquin's Cornish Dry Gin · 4 oz Fever-Tree Indian Tonic · Fresh grapefruit slice · Sprig of fresh rosemary, lightly torched to release oils. Build over ice in a copa glass.
Food Pairing
Pair with: Cornish crab cakes with grapefruit aioli — the citrus in the gin lifts the sweetness of the crab.
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