The Botanist Gin with The Dan, The Ryan & The Goran

Changing a couple things up for this review.  Yes, it’s a gin, and I don’t like gin either.  But it’s okay, it’s made by Bruichladdich, the Islay scotchmakers.  And, we’ve got four guys for this review.

The Botanist is indeed an Islay gin. You can pick up some of the same terroir-level tastes that you’d find in a very light scotch from these guys, as well as a completely-understandable compulsion to put the word The in front of things that don’t need the word The in front of them.

This makes a damn fine The gin and tonic.  And this is the last time we’ll be using superfluous Thes.

Here’s what we thought:

smell
dan – citrus rind, ginger, herbal
simon – herbal medicine, pine, juniper
goran – lychee, vanilla, mint, licorice
ryan – citrus & pine

neat
dan – lemon ginger ale, ethyl alcohol
simon – lemon rind, grapefruit, resin
goran – sprite, candy mint, round flavour
ryan – pine sap

tonic
dan – whisky ginger ale
simon – grapefruit soda
goran – lemon but not lime
ryan – becomes sweeter and more refined

The Botanist Islay Dry Gin – 46% 700ml – $45.50 – Islay

Try it? Yes! Buy it? It’s my go-to for gin now.