The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Whitley Neill Handcrafted Dry Gin

Whitley Neill Handcrafted Dry Gin

Whitley Neill · City of London Distillery

86 proofNASEngland, United Kingdom
Whitley Neill's core expression is a proper London Dry that respects juniper without being one-dimensional. The interplay between African-sourced botanicals and classic gin architecture makes it versatile behind the bar and genuinely enjoyable neat. Outstanding value at the price point.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Assertive juniper leads with pine and a waxy, resinous quality. Behind it, coriander seed and a distinctive citrus oil lift, with angelica root providing earthy depth. A faint peppery note and cassia bark warmth add intrigue.

Palate

Medium-bodied and well-balanced, with juniper remaining the structural pillar throughout. Grapefruit peel adds a bitter-bright accent, while nutmeg and cassia bark contribute a warming spice layer. The finish of each sip carries a lightly floral, almost violet-like quality.

Finish

Medium, with lingering juniper resin, dry angelica, and a clean peppery close.

Specifications
Style
London Dry
Botanicals
Juniper, coriander seed, angelica root, cassia bark, nutmeg, cape gooseberry, baobab fruit, grapefruit peel, lemon peel, orris root
Base Spirit
Grain neutral spirit
Distillation
Pot distilled in small batches
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

Smoke Signal Gimlet — 2 oz Whitley Neill Handcrafted Dry Gin · 0.75 oz fresh lime juice · 0.5 oz rosemary-infused simple syrup · Shake with ice, strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a torched rosemary sprig.

Food Pairing

Chargrilled tiger prawns brushed with harissa butter, served with a citrus and fennel salad that highlights the gin's grapefruit and spice botanicals.

The Story

Created by Johnny Neill, an eighth-generation distiller, who blends his family's English distilling heritage with botanicals sourced from his grandmother's South African homeland.

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 City of London Distillery
More Gin Reviews
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
Conniption American Dry Gin
Gin

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.

88 proof