First Impressions
Beckett's makes a bold claim: the only gin distilled with exclusively native English juniper berries, handpicked from Box Hill in Surrey — one of the last places where wild juniper still grows in England. Six complementary botanicals: the Surrey juniper, riverside mint from Kingston-upon-Thames, lime, orris root, sweet orange peel, and coriander. This is a gin of English provenance from berry to bottle.
Tasting
Six botanicals. The nose is elegant and aromatic — citrus and freshly cut grass, the English juniper distinct from imported berries. On the palate at 40%, creamy texture with spicy coriander, zesty lime, sweet orange, and smooth juniper. The Box Hill berries provide the backbone. The finish has a slightly cool mint aftertaste — clean and refreshing.
The Bottom Line
Beckett's earns a 7 — the English juniper from Box Hill is the genuine article, and it tastes different from the Macedonian or Italian berries that most gins use. One fan noted 'it's the Beckett's that tastes and smells most like gin' — and for a Martini, that is the highest compliment. Best in a dry Martini where the English juniper speaks. At £35, terroir-driven English gin from the Surrey Hills.
